CECI DEMARIA WAS among 220 middle school students who attended the 29th annual Academic Decathlon held March 1 at Santa Margarita Catholic High School.
“This was my first year, and it was really fun,” beamed the Mission Basilica sixth grader.
THE 29TH ANNUAL ACADEMIC DECATHLON WAS HELD MARCH 1 AT SANTA MARGARITA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL. PHOTOS BY JEFF ANTENORE/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Denise Valadez, Ed.D., Associate Superintendent of Catholic Schools said, “the Academic Junior High Decathlon provides students with a way to compete at an intellectual level. It is the perfect opportunity for students who excel in a specific subject area to showcase their skills in that subject.”
Valadez went on to share that the students work together in two team events: Logic and SuperQuiz. Students spend an extraordinary amount of time preparing for this day, and the students who place first in their subject areas move on to compete at the national level.
EACH SCHOOL RECRUITS THE STUDENTS START IN THE FALL PREPARING FOR THE EVENT HELD EVERY MARCH FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS A TEAM OF COACHES TO WORK WITH THE STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
The students start in the fall preparing for the event held every March for Catholic schools throughout the nation. The winners move on to a national competition later in the month.
Participating schools receive a list of topics, including books and study guides, to help prepare the students for the competition. Each school has its system for choosing its decathlon team members. Some students volunteer and take tests, while teachers select their school team members. Each team includes 10 students specializing in a different subject area.
At the decathlon, students compete digitally, submitting their answers on laptops. Subject areas include Logic, Current Events, English, Fine Arts, Literature, Mathematics, Religion, Science and Social Studies.
FAMILY AND FRIENDS CHEER ON STUDENTS DURING THIS YEAR’S ANNUAL ACADEMIC DECATHLON HELD ON MARCH 1 AT SANTA MARGARITA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL.
It takes a village to make the decathlon happen. Each school recruits a team of coaches – parents and teachers who commit to working with the students throughout the year. This typically includes at least one study session on campus per week per subject, continuing every week until March. With nine subject areas, this often means that various study groups are meeting all week and often on weekends.
Margo Hartel started coaching social studies at St. Anne’s School in Santa Ana last year. Although her children are long past school age, she enjoys the kids and the process.
“I love seeing the dedication these students have to go above and beyond and put their time and effort into preparing,” she said. “It was a total blessing to be with them.”
This year, St. Edward the Confessor Parish School in Dana Point took top honors. Principal Suzanne Edwards credits Stacie Rios, a STEM teacher who has coordinated a demanding training program since 2018. The effort has paid off, with St. Edward the Confessor Parish School consistently taking the top honors for 10 years. Led by volunteer parents and some teachers, the school divides the students into varsity and junior varsity.
Edwards said, “The kids are chosen by a test at the beginning of the school year.”
She explained that the JV team is mostly sixth graders, while varsity is seventh and eighth graders. They all must commit to the program, including Sunday evening study sessions.
“Some kids have had to miss sporting events because they cannot leave the study sessions early,” added Edwards.
While St. Edward’s varsity team took first place, St. Junipero Serra School’s Innovators Team took a close second place, and Blessed Sacrament School came in third but was first in the small school category.
Ceci DeMaria, who participated in social studies and literature, was impressed by the assigned book I Am Malala, The Girl Who Stood Up For Education And Was Shot By The Taliban.
“Our team did pretty well,” she said, adding that her team prepared as a group on Friday mornings, with four weekly practices and logic practices.
As a sixth grader, she is already looking forward to the 2026 season.