WHS students prep for first-ever entry into academic decathlon

While many of the students at Windsor High School are heded home
for the weekend, twelve sit alone on a Friday afternoon in a
classroom and listen to classical music. Some of them joke, some
stare into the distance, and one even sips on a bottle of “smart
water.”
They belong to the Windsor Academic Decathlon team, a group
brought together last September to compete in this coming
Saturday’s countywide Academic Decathlon at Elsie Allen High
School.
Once the music is finished, the students compare answers on the
identity of both the work and the musician. Those who guessed wrong
learn from the correct answer from the others. Most have developed
tricks to help identify each work.
After the music exercise is complete, the students shift their
attention to great works of art, again attempting to identify both
the work and the artist. Some guess correctly, other guess
incorrectly, but they all learn.
Back in September the group was given a large binder full of
subjects ranging from mathematics to music appreciation, and they
were asked to learn it. At least one student admits he asked
himself “do I really want to do this?”
For a dozen students the answer was “yes,” and in a few short
days nine of them will surrender an entire Saturday to take a
12-hour test.
“The competition will test them in a variety of ways to see if
they’ve mastered the material,” said Windsor High teacher and team
co-advisor Erik Coursey. “They’ll do everything from writing to a
trivial pursuit sort of test to oral interviews and prepared
speeches.”
The event itself tests the students knowledge in 10 different
competitive events. Some events require students to take written
tests on economics, social science, language and literature. Other
events are performance based, involving essays, speeches and oral
interviews.
Even though this Saturday will be the Windsor team’s first
competition, they are confident they will do well. “I think we will
do well if we dedicate the time,” said Jessie Coombs.
The only material the students will need to know can be found in
the original binder. Coursey, along with his co-advisor Louis
Ganzler, understood from the very beginning that they would need
help teaching the students everything they would need to know.
“It’s been a real adventure for us,” said Coursey. “We realize
we can’t teach all the subjects so we brought in guest speakers to
supplement the areas that we’re not comfortable teaching.”
Much of the material needed for the Academic Decathlon is not
taught in typical high school courses, placing the burden on the
students to learn the material outside of the classroom by reading
the binding material.
“We joke about it, but it’s learning for learning’s sake,”
Coursey said. It’s up to them to learn the material.”
As the decathlon draws near, the students take practice tests
and fill their evenings with cram sessions to prepare. If they’re
are nervous, they don’t look the part. A recent practice session
was filled with jokes, and the students discuss the academics like
they were subjects of everyday conversation. Coursey makes a
comment on studying time, and a student blurts out: “maybe we
should start!”
The public is welcome to attend the Super Quiz portion of the
Academic Decathlon at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Elsie Allen
High School in Santa Rosa.