Small but mighty

Imagine preparing for a test that will last most of the day, cover topics across 10 subjects, include strict time limits, could involve a speech or an interview panel, and it is done in a competitive environment. That is Academic Decathlon. It is a daunting challenge. 

Ector County ISD hosted the Region 1 Academic Decathlon on January 24 and 25 and was well-represented by five teams, three of which advanced to the state championships next month.

The team from New Tech Odessa, giving the ‘flying Phoenix’ sign in the picture, won the Region 1 Small School Championship. NTO also won the Super Quiz competition.

Odessa Collegiate Academy took 2^nd place in the Small School Division. OCA tied for second in the Super Quiz.

The STEM Academy, competing for the first time, captured 4^th place in the Small School Division and 4^th place in the Super Quiz.

All three schools – NTO, OCA and STEM – earned a competition spot at the Academic Decathlon State Meet February 27 – March 1 in Frisco, Texas. Only the top 10 small schools across the state earned a place to compete at this event.

Competing in the Large School Division, Odessa High School finished in 2^nd place and Permian High School 3^rd place with ECISD taking four of the nine individual medals. Permian’s Laney Cobb earned 2^nd place in the Honors category and teammate Hiram Brito took 3^rd place in the Scholastic category. From OHS, Rene Olivas won the Scholastic category championship and Mariana Banuelos was 2^nd place in the Varsity category.

ECISD students took all the top three spots in each category (Honors, Scholastic, and Varsity) of the Small School Division. OCA’s Mallory Hough earned the highest number of points overall in the meet (8,128) in winning the Honors category; NTO’s Rohan Reed was the champion of the Scholastic category, and NTO’s Mary Rivera was the champion of the Varsity category (see those standings below).

“We are so proud of our students and their coaches,” said ECISD Director of Advanced Academics Dr. Kristen Vesely. “To prepare for Academic Decathlon takes months of study and practice, time management, perseverance, and confidence. We are thrilled to celebrate not only their hard work and dedication but also their extraordinary achievements!"

 

About Academic Decathlon

The competition consists of 10 rigorous events that challenge students academically, creatively, and personally. Six of these events—Art, Music, Social Science, Economics, Science, and Language and Literature—are 50-question multiple-choice tests, each completed in just 30 minutes. The Math test includes 35 questions, also completed in a 30-minute window.

Within each team, students compete in three categories based on their GPA:

• Honors

• Scholastic

• Varsity

In the Speech event, students deliver a prepared speech they have practiced extensively, followed by an impromptu speech created and delivered on the spot. The Interview event gives students the opportunity to participate in a professional, high-stakes interview, showcasing their communication skills, confidence, and ability to think critically. In the Essay event, students write a full-length essay in only 50 minutes, testing their ability to craft thoughtful and well-organized writing under tight time constraints.

 

 

Small School Division - Region 1 Results

o Honors – Champion – Mallory Hough – OCA – 8,128 points

o Honors - 2nd Place – Daniel Oyebanji – OCA – 8,023 points

o Honors – 3rd Place – Adrian Rodriguez – NTO – 7,878 points

 

o Scholastic – Champion – Rohan Reed – NTO – 7, 518 points

o Scholastic – 2nd Place – Kevin Enriquez – NTO – 6,942 points

o Scholastic – 3rd Place – Thomas Harlow – STEM – 5,852 points

 

o Varsity – Champion – Mary Rivera – NTO – 5,955 points

o Varsity – 2nd Place – Yadiel Hernandez Rodriguez – NTO – 5,694 points

o Varsity – 3rd Place – Josh Selby – OCA – 5,642 points

 

Super Quiz

Small Schools

§ 1st Place – NTO

§ 2nd Place – OCA (Tie with Aubrey HS)

§ 4th Place – STEM

Large Schools

§ 2nd Place – OHS

§ 3rd Place - PHS

 

Pictured top to bottom: the team from Odessa Collegiate Academy; STEM Academy; Odessa High School; and Permian High School's team.