Westover students earn bid to National Academic Decathlon
ALBANY – Westover Comprehensive High School's 11-student Academic Decathlon team is preparing to compete at the national level.
The Westover team earned its first-ever invitation to the United States Academic Decathlon Online National Competition, making it the first school in the Dougherty County School System to earn such an opportunity. The students' journey began at the district's Academic Decathlon competition, from which they emerged as the overall winners for the 15th year out of 16 years of competition.
With that win, the Patriots traveled to Atlanta to compete at the state level, where their performance secured them the Large School Online Representative Award and gave them the chance to compete in the National Academic Decathlon Online Competition beginning April 17.
'We're simply proud of our students,' Westover Principal William Chunn said. 'They worked extremely hard, and now they can see the fruit of their labor.'
The USAD is a team-based academic competition that emphasizes excellence across a wide range of subjects, including art, economics, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, social science, essay, interview and speech. Each year, these subjects are integrated into a central theme; the 2024-2025 theme being 'Our Changing Climate.'
Chunn said the students work year-'round to prepare for this event – even completing assignments while they're out of school for summer vacation. He said they know it's an important event for Westover, which calls itself an academic school.
Westover has earned 10 state academic trophies over the years.
'We take a lot of pride in that,' Chunn said. 'A lot of folks talk about basketball, track and football, and all that is good. But when it comes to Westover, the emphasis is on academics. Competing on the national level is just the icing on the cake.'
Coach Pamela Heard returned from retirement to lead the team that is made up of ninth- through 12th-graders.
'This season has been incredible,' Heard said. 'Earning a national qualifier spot is a testament to the team's effort. I'm proud to have played a small part in bringing our team to this point.'
The team also performed well in the Super Quiz competition, securing the second runner-up position. Heard's mantra of self-regulation and consistent study habits resonated with the team. She often encouraged the students by saying, 'Y'all must study when I'm not looking, just like athletes who regularly practice, working their muscles and pushing their bodies to new lengths. Y'all must stretch your brain muscles to new lengths, too.'
She called the team 'brain athletes.'
Chunn said he's appreciative of Heard's commitment to the students as well as that of math teacher Patrick Nwokedi, science teacher Cadesia Irvin and Vice Principal Samuel Mackey.
Practice for the USAD Online National Competition runs from April 10-16. Chunn said the team will prepare each day leading up to the competition.
'They're excited to represent their district … and all of Dougherty County,' he said. 'So every day after school, they will practice and prepare up until the time of the competition. They will take no days off.'
Art, essay, interview and literature tests will be held April 17. The students will compete in economics, mathematics, music, science, social science and 'super quiz' tests May 2.
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