Latest news with #SuperQuiz
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
ECISD Decathlon teams capture 3 of the top spots at state competition
Mar. 20—Three of the top 10 Small School academic decathlon teams in Texas are from Ector County ISD. New Tech Odessa, Odessa Collegiate Academy, and the STEM Academy at UTPB all qualified for the Decathlon State Meet contested in Frisco. New Tech Odessa took third place in the rigorous competition, OCA finished in sixth place, and the STEM Academy, in its first year of decathlon, was tenth. NTO's Rohan Reed placed 2nd overall in the Scholastic category, capturing 1st place in the individual contests for Art and Science. Betanya Hailu from OCA earned a perfect score, and first place, on her speech. Maci Jo Baker was the top scorer for STEM Academy. Others who won individual contests were Kevin Enriquez (NTO) in Scholastic Science; Mary Rivera (NTO) Varsity Math and Speech; Yadiel Hernandez-Rodriguez (NTO) Varsity Interview; Elizabeth Lopez (NTO) Varsity Speech; Daniel Oyebanji (OCA) Honors Art; and Mallory Hough (OCA) Honors Art. "We are incredibly proud of all of our Decathlon students and their coaches," ECISD Director of Advanced Academic Services Kristen Vesely said in a news release. "Decathlon is extremely challenging with the diverse range of topics, the amount of study time it involves, and the intensity of the competition. "Yet, those are the same elements that lead to the student's personal growth, great sense of achievement, and confidence gained through their effort," added Vesely. Academic Decathlon is made up of 10 events covering 7 subjects — science, literature, art, music, social science, economics, and math, plus a Super Quiz. All are built around a central theme of study. Competitors take tests, write essays, and deliver speeches as part of the 10 events; the Super Quiz is a true team battle to answer questions in a game-show style format. The students and their coaches spend months studying and preparing for these contests. Each high school enters a team of nine students: 3 Honor students (3.80 — 4.00 GPA), 3 Scholastic students (3.20 — 3.799 GPA), and 3 Varsity students (0.00 — 3.199 GPA). Team Rosters: New Tech Odessa — Yoana Picazo — Head Coach — Neftali Silva — Assistant Coach Honors: — Antonio Apodaca — Adrian Rodriguez — Joel Ramos Scholastic: — Rohan Reed — Kevin Enriquez — Ethan Palomares Varsity: — Mary Rivera — Yadiel Hernandez Rodriguez — Elizabeth Lopez Alternates: — Javier Hernandez — Lorena Spruill — Maria Losoya Odessa Collegiate — Mikal Crowder — Head Coach — Lydia Roundtree — Assistant Coach Honors: — Daniel Oyebanji — Mallory Hough — Betanya Hailu Scholastic: — Madison Garcia — Roxanna Martinez — Zada Cobos Varsity: — Sephira Guitierrez — Josh Selby Alternates: — Rianna Ornelas — Jocelyn Balderas STEM Academy — Iva Hodges — Head Coach — Nicole Olivas — Assistant Coach Honors: — Elise Jones — Maci Jo Baker — Karli Kershaw Scholastic: — Kamryn Kershaw — Miles Mundkowsky — Thomas Harlow Varsity: — Isaac Rangel — Lily Biggerstaff — Haylee Vargas Alternates: — Genesis Cruz — Iris Ramirez — Ilene Kurtz
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Small (School) but mighty; 3 decathlon teams headed for state
Jan. 29—Imagine preparing for a test that will last most of the day, cover topics across 10 subjects, include strict time limits, could involve a speech or an interview panel, and it is done in a competitive environment. That is Academic Decathlon. It is a daunting challenge. Ector County ISD hosted the Region 1 Academic Decathlon on Jan. 24 and 25 and was well represented by five teams, three of which advanced to the state championships next month. The team from New Tech Odessa won the Region 1 Small School Championship. NTO also won the Super Quiz competition. Odessa Collegiate Academy took 2nd place in the Small School Division. OCA tied for second in the Super Quiz. The STEM Academy, competing for the first time, captured 4th place in the Small School Division and 4th place in the Super Quiz. All three schools — NTO, OCA and STEM — earned a competition spot at the Academic Decathlon State Meet Feb. 27 — March 1 in Frisco. Only the top 10 small schools across the state earned a place to compete at this event. Competing in the Large School Division, Odessa High School finished in 2nd place and Permian High School 3rd place with ECISD taking four of the nine individual medals. Permian's Laney Cobb earned 2nd place in the Honors category and teammate Hiram Brito took 3rd place in the Scholastic category. From OHS, Rene Olivas won the Scholastic category championship and Mariana Banuelos was 2nd place in the Varsity category. ECISD students took all the top three spots in each category (Honors, Scholastic, and Varsity) of the Small School Division. OCA's Mallory Hough earned the highest number of points overall in the meet (8,128) in winning the Honors category; NTO's Rohan Reed was the champion of the Scholastic category, and NTO's Mary Rivera was the champion of the Varsity category. "We are so proud of our students and their coaches," ECISD Director of Advanced Academics Dr. Kristen Vesely said in a news release. "To prepare for Academic Decathlon takes months of study and practice, time management, perseverance, and confidence. We are thrilled to celebrate not only their hard work and dedication but also their extraordinary achievements!" About Academic Decathlon The competition consists of 10 rigorous events that challenge students academically, creatively, and personally. Six of these events — Art, Music, Social Science, Economics, Science, and Language and Literature — are 50-question multiple-choice tests, each completed in just 30 minutes. The Math test includes 35 questions, also completed in a 30-minute window. Within each team, students compete in three categories based on their GPA: — Honors — Scholastic — Varsity In the Speech event, students deliver a prepared speech they have practiced extensively, followed by an impromptu speech created and delivered on the spot. The Interview event gives students the opportunity to participate in a professional, high-stakes interview, showcasing their communication skills, confidence, and ability to think critically. In the Essay event, students write a full-length essay in only 50 minutes, testing their ability to craft thoughtful and well-organized writing under tight time constraints.
