Valley counties go hybrid, completely virtual for 2022 Academic Decathlon competition
For the second year in a row the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the dynamics of the annual high school Academic Decathlon competition across the Central Valley.
The theme this year is ‘Water: A Most Essential Resource.’
In some counties, like Merced, Tulare, San Joaquín and Stanislaus, the 2022 competition will have a hybrid platform with some events taking place virtually while the Super Quiz and awards ceremonies are in person.
In some counties, the Super Quiz will be outdoors so the public can attend, while in other counties it will be indoors and closed to the public.
Other counties, like Fresno and Kings, the competition will be entirely virtual.
In 2021 academic decathlon at the county level were moved to a virtual platform including the state competition. In 2020, the state competition, which takes place in March was moved to online format with the beginning of the pandemic.
According to Stacie Arancibia, events and community engagement specialist for the Merced County Office of Education, which conducts the events, the virtual testing process begins Jan. 29 where students compete in seven multiple-choice tests in math, science, social science, music, art, economics and literature.
On Feb. 5, students will compete in the speech and interview process in-person at the MCOE Downtown Professional Development Center. In the afternoon, students will participate in the Super Quiz, covering all seven testing subjects. The Super Quiz competition won’t be open to the public, however the awards ceremony will be live-streamed on YouTube at 6 p.m.
According to Arancibia, students are required to take a rapid COVID-19 test and must test negative to participate.
“Thank you to the MCOE, school district staff, and volunteers for adapting and modifying this event and testing in advance to make it as safe as possible for everyone involved,” said Dr. Steve Tietjen, Merced County Superintendent of Schools. “I’d also like to thank the decathletes for adapting and participating in what will be another year of unique competition.”
“We had to make some last-minute adjustments to our event due to the surge in the Omicron variant,” said Cheryl Goulart, Stanislaus County Office of Education’s program manager/students events.
Weather permitting, the Super Quiz and awards will take place on Feb. 5 outdoors, said Goulart.
“We will be prepared to switch to online only, if necessary,” Goulart said, adding that the public will be allowed to attend the outdoor event.
Zack Johnson, Public Information Officer Student Programs and Services for the San Joaquin County Office of Education, said while the Academic Decathlon will be mostly virtual this year, with objective testing online, the Super Quiz will be in-person but with changes including only participants and coaches will be allowed with no spectators.
Johnson said participating schools are going to certify COVID vaccinations or COVID negative test before the event. Also, each school competing will have a designated room where the students and coaches will be waiting for their turn as each of the categories – scholastic, honors, and varsity – are called into the auditorium to compete in the Super Quiz.
In Tulare County the Super Quiz and awards ceremony will be held in person at the TCOE Administration Building like prior to pandemic.
In Kings County, the competition will be virtually, but the Kings County Office of Education will eliminate the Super Quiz.
Awards will be done in a slideshow that will be emailed out to the schools, according to Sheri Powers, coordinator/educational services for KCOE.
Lemoore Middle College High School has won the Kings County championship nine years in a row.
In Fresno County, the Super Quiz and awards ceremony will also be virtual for the second consecutive year. That decision was reached last week, according to Fresno County Superintendent of Schools spokeswoman Lisa Birrell.
Last year, KMPH news anchor Rich Rodríguez hosted the Super Quiz online. He has hosted that event for 30 years.
University High School has won seven of the last eight Fresno County championships, and trails Edison High for overall titles, 19 to 9. Edison did not field a team last year.
The winning decathlon team of each county will represent their counties in the state championships, which will be conducted in March in a virtual format.
Esta historia fue publicada originalmente el 31 de enero de 2022, 2:05 p. m..
