Spartans set for Academic Decathlon

The Spartans’ team has won the county Academic Decathlon competition for the past 25 years, since its inception in 1981. Last year the team came back from the state competition with 15 medals, including 10 from placing first in the most prestigious category of the competition — the Super Quiz Oral Relay — and this year the team is aiming for gold again, Neil MacGaffey, the team’s coach, said.

From Article: Central Union High School Spartans set for brainy battle in Sacramento

Eight students from Central Union High School will compete at the 31st annual California Academic Decathlon State Championships from March 11 to 14 in Sacramento.

JOSELITO VILLERO PHOTO Central Union High School’s Vanessa Reza, 17, said she is studying the French Revolution in preparation for the Academic Decathlon in Sacramento beginning Thursday.

Since its inception in 1981, the Spartans’ “AcaDec” team has won the county Academic Decathlon competition for the past 25 years. Last year the team came back from the state competition with 15 medals, including 10 from placing first in the most prestigious category of the competition — the Super Quiz Oral Relay — and this year the team is aiming for gold again, Neil MacGaffey, the team’s coach, said. “Being in AcaDec helps students learn great study skills that will help them in college,” MacGaffey said. “It looks great on their transcripts, too. AcaDec is one of the most sought after (extra-curricular activities) by college scouts.”

The annual California Academic Decathlon welcomes all public and private schools throughout the state, according to academicdecathlon.org. The state competition has an estimated 500 high schools — about 13,000 students from 42 counties and districts — participating in the event.

The competition consists of 10 categories: speech, interview, essay, mathematics, English, science, history, economics, art and music. The Super Quiz category alternates between science and history, and every year the categories of the competition are tied together under one unified theme. This year’s theme is the French Revolution.

“I take the students to San Diego every year to keep their attention,” MacGaffey said. “The students study for six to eight hours a day over the weekend. We take some time off at night to have some fun. It would be nice if some Central or AcaDec alumni could donate to the group,” MacGaffey said, who pays for the San Diego study trips himself.

The Imperial County AcaDec competitions are held every first Saturday in February at the Imperial County Office of Education building on Sperber Road in El Centro.