2 Lake Elsinore High Schools To Compete In Annual Academic Decathlon

The following is a Jan. 9, 2024, news release from the Riverside County Office of Education:

RIVERSIDE, CA — Today’s students are growing up in the age of artificial intelligence and seeing firsthand how it interacts with the human experience. The reality of this moment in history is reflected in the theme of the 41st Annual Riverside County Academic Decathlon, “Technology and Humanity”, that will start with virtual competition on January 13, 2024, and end with the in-person Super Quiz and awards ceremony on Saturday, January 27, 2024.

Riverside County students from 11 high schools are set to compete in the multi-day event sponsored by the Riverside County Office of Education. Academic Decathlon, like its ancient Greek counterpart, is a 10-event contest. Participants demonstrate their academic strength by completing seven written tests, writing an essay, delivering a prepared and an impromptu speech, and participating in an interview. The Super Quiz is a team event held before a live audience. Each team is composed of nine students, three from each grade point category, and includes three Honor (GPA 3.80 - 4.00), three Scholastic (GPA 3.20 - 3.799), and three Varsity (GPA 0.00 - 3.199) students.

On the first day of this year’s competition, Saturday, January 13, students will participate in essay writing and objective tests. On Saturday, January 27, teams will participate in the speech and interview portion of the competition followed by the popular Super Quiz—the only event open to the public (other than the awards ceremony). Super Quiz begins at 1:00 p.m., and the awards ceremony will follow at 4 p.m. Both events will be held at Canyon Springs High School (23100 Cougar Canyon Road, Moreno Valley, CA).

The awards ceremony will feature individual accolades and the announcement of the team that will represent Riverside County at the California Academic Decathlon on March 22-23, 2024, in Santa Clara.

The California state champion advances to the United States Academic Decathlon from April 25-27, 2024, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In the 2023 Riverside County Academic Decathlon, Western Center Academy from the Hemet Unified School District was named the champion for the first time in school history. Finishing second was Elsinore High School, followed by Corona High School in third, Beaumont High School in fourth, and Hemet High School in fifth.

For 2024, the 11 Riverside County high school teams competing include:
Beaumont High School (Beaumont USD)
Corona High School (Corona-Norco USD)
Hemet High School (Hemet USD)
Western Center Academy (Hemet USD)
Elsinore High School (Lake Elsinore USD)
Temescal Canyon High School (Lake Elsinore USD)
Valley View High School (Moreno Valley USD)
Vista Del Lago High School (Moreno Valley USD)
Heritage High School (Perris Union High SD)
Great Oak High School (Temecula Valley USD)
John W. North High School (Riverside USD)

Riverside County Academic Decathlon historical results:
2023 – Western Center Academy
2022 – Elsinore
2021 – Elsinore
2020 – Elsinore
2019 – Elsinore
2018 – Elsinore
2017 – Elsinore
2016 – West Valley
2015 – West Valley
2014 – Hemet
2013 – West Valley
2012 – West Valley
2011 – West Valley
2010 – West Valley
2009 – West Valley
2008 – Hemet
2007 – Hemet
2006 – Hemet