LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The public is invited to join Lake County Academic Decathlon students as they test their knowledge of World War I during the annual competition on Saturday, Feb. 1.
The public portion of the event will be held at Lower Lake High's new gym on Lake Street beginning at 2 p.m.
Students from Lower Lake, Upper Lake and Clear Lake High will challenge 2013 champion Kelseyville High for the opportunity to represent the county in Sacramento in March.
The decathlon is a unique competition that is composed of high school students with required grade point average categories of 4.0, 3.0 and 2.0 or below.
Students study all year to compete in 10 individual categories including math, language/literature, science, history, art, music, economics, written essay, speech and interview.
They will conclude their competition on Feb. 1 in a public forum as they compete in a team Super Quiz.
Decathletes started their first round of testing earlier in January where they were given 50 minutes to write an essay on a given prompt based on their World War I studies.
Essays were scored by staff from Marymount California University, and Mendocino and Yuba colleges, and included Antoine-Marie Baurier, Kim Boles-Cravea, Pamela Bordisso, Joan Cashion, Bill Cornelison, Laura Dorfman, Allen Franz, Susan Garman, Sue Goff, Mike Grimshaw, Jean Lyu, Tom Mead, Sara Melville, Kathleen Talbot, Reuben Veliz and Deborah White.
On Saturday, Jan. 25, 47 local community members came to Lower Lake High to judge more than 50 students as they competed in the second stage of the academic decathlon, which included speeches and interviews.
Students gave prepared speeches on topics of their choice, short impromptu speeches and were interviewed by a group of three judges. Students were judged on their presentation skills, professional appearance and preparedness.
Volunteers from around the county came together to serve as judges and ended their day with a group luncheon of decathletes, judges and coaches.
More than two-thirds of the judges were returning decathlon judges. Judges included Rita Abby, Chris Becnel, Jo Bennett, Teresa Bettencourt, Kim Boles-Cravea, Becky Carter, Barbara Christwitz, Deana Clausen, Judy Conard, Bill Cornelison, Jesse Damian, Emilio de la Cruz, Buz Derenink, Terry Dereniuk, Gina Dickson, Brock Falkenberg, Larry Fanning, Doreen Gilmore, Cheryl Graves, Lorrie Gray, Jim Hiss, Rebecca Hiss, Wally Holbrook, Nancy Hudson, Quincy Jackson, Dana Kearney, Mareta King, Madelene Lyon, Harry Lyons, Shelly Mascari, Barbara McIntyre, Deborah Morine, Nyla Norris, Michael Papin, Trena Pauly, Darlene Serpa, Wilda Shock, Richard C. Smith, Vicky Smith, Rebecca Southwick, Kandee Stolesen, Melissa Swanson and Marsha Willard.
Decathletes will complete their exams on Feb. 1 as they spend the morning testing in music, art, mathematics, language and literature, science, economics and social science.
They will then participate in a Super Quiz Bowl that is open to the public at Lower Lake High School starting at 2 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony.
More than 150 medals sponsored by Sutter Lakeside Hospital will be awarded, along with scholarships from The Lodge at Blue Lakes, Lake County Friends of Mendocino College, Lakeport Lions Club, Lakeshore Lioness and Rotary Club of Lakeport.
The Lake County Arts Council will award a cash prize for first through third places in the poster and poetry contest.
All members of the community are welcome to attend the evening events free of charge.
For questions regarding the Academic Decathlon please contact Tammy Serpa at the Lake County Office of Education, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-994-9001.