(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - Students from across Alaska will gather in Anchorage Feb. 25–27 to represent their schools and compete at the 31st Annual GCI Alaska Academic Decathlon at the Hilton Anchorage Hotel. Students from Ketchikan, Craig and Metlakatla will be among the participating teams.

Students competing from the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District are Lora Starr, Gabrial Canfield, Largim Zhuta, Sage Acteson, Jesalyn Cachero, Ingrid Anzueto, Elizabeth Vossen, Lydia Sumrall, Max Varela, Emme Andersen and Adrian Antonio. They are led by coach Peter Stanton. Students from Craig City Schools are Robert (Wyatt) Hilder, Brynna Ververs, Baylee Schneider, Tristan Douville, Tahren Torsey, Noah Castle, Liam Price, Alex Price, Duane Wood, Hannah Atland and Kaylie Yorgensen. They are led by coach Jessica Hughes. Representing Metlakatla High School are Madisyn Janes, Barak Wahl, Jeanette Kaleikau-Buxton, Alana Williams, Cameron Commack, Raquel Schoolcraft, Alonzo Leisholm, Tim Williams, DaShaun Atkinson, Collin Williams, Cheyenne Marsden and Shae-Lynn Hudson. This team is coached by Kathy Anderson and Jason Webber.

The Academic Decathlon was created to provide high school students with opportunities to experience the challenges of rigorous team and individual academic competition. Each participating student will compete in 10 events: economics, essay, art, interview, math, music, science, social science, speech and language and literature. Students also participate in an event called the Super Quiz, a team competition featuring a student relay. It’s one of most exciting events in the competition and the only event that is open to the public.

The program offers students the chance to compete in non-athletic events while building relationships and fostering a positive inter-school community. The Academic Decathlon is uniquely designed to include students of all academic abilities and achievement levels by requiring each nine-member team to consist of three “A” students (honor division), three “B” students (scholastic division) and three “C” or below students (varsity division).

Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded for individual events and total scores. Overall individual winners and champion teams are each recognized. This year, students will also be competing to win $42,000 worth of scholarships and prizes.

The winning team will advance to the national finals, held in Anchorage on April 28–30. This will be the first time the national competition has been held in Alaska since 2001.

“The Academic Decathlon is a fantastic way for students to get excited about academics while experiencing team competition,” said Curtiss Clifton, state director of the GCI Alaska Academic Decathlon. “This year we have the rare and exciting opportunity to host the national event in our very own state. Alaskans will have the chance to support our students in person as they compete in the United States Academic Decathlon this April.”

This year’s competition also includes student teams from Valdez High School, Hutchison High School, Lathrop High School, West Valley High School, Monroe Catholic High School, Juneau-Douglas High School, IDEA Correspondence School, Lower Yukon School District and Bering Strait School District. For more information visit .

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

GCO Academic Decathlon
gci.aad.education

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