The Academic Decathlon team tackled its regional objective tests on January 25, and its scores managed to qualify the team for state. This is the 10th consecutive year in which the team has qualified for the next round of testing, which will take place this year on March 28.

This year’s Academic Decathlon theme is “in sickness and in health,” according to team captain senior Maddie House. Since receiving instructional packets in July, the team has been studying topics related to care, mortality and obesity.

House said, “I think this theme was really good because it’s applicable to a lot of jobs… healthcare is a really big career so I think that that interested a lot of people.”

Past years’ themes focused on certain countries or certain decades.  This year’s squad feels more motivated by the relevance of the healthcare theme.

House added, “[There are] even the jobs that comment on healthcare or support healthcare, like literature and art.”

The team “really [has] the motivation to represent our school,” said junior Jessica Long.

The desire to learn also motivates participants. Junior Rebecca Gunderson said, “It was a really amazing experience to be surrounded by people who want to learn with you, just want to know about things we might not learn about in school.” 

House has said that “things are looking good” for the team heading into the state competition.

In addition to studying up on the annual topics, the team attends various field trips and enjoys movie nights. “We meet 3 times a week, after school and on the weekends, so we see each other all the time, and we’re really close,” Gunderson said.

“It’s not all rigorous studying,” said House.