GRANADA HILLS CHARTER CAPTURES 2022 CALIFORNIA ACADEMIC DECATHLON TITLE

School will compete in Nationals in late April, seeking repeat U.S. victory

GRANADA HILLS, Calif., March 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Academic Decathlon team from Granada Hills Charter (GHC) captured the California State Title for the third straight year as the competition once again took place virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The team next heads to the National competition, which runs from April 20-22, with the winners announced during an awards ceremony on Saturday, April 23. GHC will be vying for its record ninth U.S. title, as well as its second straight. The National Academic Decathlon was canceled in 2020; GHC also won in 2019. The National competition, like the state, will take place virtually.

"I'm incredibly proud of how all the members of our team pulled together throughout the year, supported one another and made what is a challenging process one they all could enjoy and truly benefit from," said Head Coach, Tyler Lee. "Although the competition was virtual, we were able to practice together, building the comradery and cohesiveness that is one of the most important elements of the experience. I want everyone to enjoy this moment – and then begin to get ready for the National competition."

GHC totaled 51,949.5 points to capture the State title.

The School's nine-member team included: Zainab Al-Atya, Lily Fairbank-Bermejo, Vivian Le, Vanessa Miller, Kira Pospeshil, Matthew Salce, Colby Sapera, Garrett Scott, Mason Wong.

"I've been fortunate to know our dedicated and determined Academic Decathlon teams over the years, and I'm always so impressed by how they pull together as a team and bring the best out of each other," said Brian Bauer, Executive Director of GHC. "It also is incredible how much they learn during the year and how well they prepare themselves to present such a wide range of information in such a rigorous environment. Everyone at GHC is extremely proud of the work they do and commitment they make, and we all will be pulling for them next month at the U.S. competition."

The theme for this year's competition is one familiar to all students in California – Water: A Most Essential Resource.

The Academic Decathlon involves 10 events revolving around a central topic in seven subject areas: science, literature, art, music, social science, economics and mathematics. The competition includes multiple-choice exams in each subject, as well as essays and speeches. It culminates with a fast-paced Super Quiz relay. As part of the competition, each school enters a field of students from the following GPA categories, - "A" students (honors), - "B" students (scholastic), and - "C or below" (varsity).

"This year's theme has additional meaning and relevance to our students, who like everyone across Southern California have seen the effects of the drought on so many aspects of our lives," Lee said. "It was a real chance for them to learn and think deeply about this issue that impacts us all from the different perspectives the competition offers."

Named by the California Department of Education (CDE) as a California Distinguished School based on its outstanding student outcomes, Granada Hills Charter (GHC) is the largest public charter school in the nation and is located in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles County. As a fiscally independent conversion charter, the School has a student enrollment of more than 5,800 walking the breezeways on two sites, the Zelzah high school campus and the Devonshire TK-8 campus. Serving students in grades transitional kindergarten through 12 (TK-12), the School has an annual waitlist of 4,000+ hopeful students seeking the excellent and diverse curricular, extracurricular, and athletic opportunities of a vibrant comprehensive school. GHC's student population is one of the most diverse, with more than 40 languages other than English spoken at home and over 60 nationalities represented. Nearly 50% of students are eligible for the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program. As a 501c3 non-profit benefit corporation, the School's Governing Board is the legal entity overseeing all school policy and its $60 million operating budget. GHC is ranked "#1 Best Public Elementary School in California," "#1 Best Charter Middle School in California" and "#1 Best Charter High School in Los Angeles County" by Niche.com in the 2021 Best Schools rankings.

SOURCE Granada Hills Charter