West High School Pulls Away to Victory in L.A. County Academic Decathlon

MONTEBELLO, Calif., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- West High School of Torrance outsmarted all others to win the 28th Annual Los Angeles County Academic Decathlon (LACAD) team title and earn a berth in the state competition.

West, a perennial top contender and last year's winner, won with a score of 43,999 points (out of a possible 60,000) with Keppel High School of Alhambra finishing a close second with 43,741 points.  

By winning the LACAD, West automatically advances to the California Academic Decathlon March 12-15 in Sacramento. But because their scores were high enough to qualify as statewide "wild card" entrants, Keppel and five other teams have also won berths in the state contest.

Those five other teams, in order of finish, are: Torrance HS (42,823), El Rancho HS of Pico Rivera (41,849), Beverly Hills HS (41,206), Redondo Union HS (40,979) and San Marino HS (40,194).

The 2010 LACAD results were announced today by Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Darline P. Robles in ceremonies at the Quiet Cannon Country Club. A total of 60 teams and some 540 students participated in the LACAD, including 16 squads in the Junior Division. The competition, presented by the Los Angeles County Office of Education, took place Jan. 30 at El Rancho HS and Feb. 6 at USC.

The top-scoring individual decathlete overall was Jordan Smolinsky of West, a senior, who tallied 8,525 points (out of a possible 10,000). He was followed by Patrick Xiao, a senior from West, who scored 8,215 points, and Shao Yi Qian, a junior from Alhambra HS, who tallied 7,972 points.

Decathlon teams are comprised of students from all grade-point averages. Decathletes are challenged to use analytical skills, performance abilities and test-taking and writing aptitude in 10 subjects: Art, Economics, Essay, Interview, Language & Literature, Math, Music, Science, Speech and Super Quiz (Social Science). The LACAD is open to public high schools outside of the Los Angeles Unified School District, which holds a separate Academic Decathlon competition and awards ceremony.

The Academic Decathlon, which this year focused on the subject of the French Revolution, is a local-county/state/national program designed to promote self-assurance, academic enrichment and teamwork among students from all academic backgrounds. The state winner earns a trip to the U.S. Academic Decathlon on April 21-24 in Omaha, NE. Last year's state champ, Moorpark HS of Ventura County, won the national competition.  

Key Team and Individual Results

Top 30 Overall Team Scores (out of a possible 60,000 points)

1. West HS (Torrance) — 43,999
2. Keppel HS (Alhambra) — 43,741*
3. Torrance HS — 42,823*
4. El Rancho (Pico Rivera) — 41,849*
5. Beverly Hills — 41,206*
6. Redondo Union HS — 40,979*
7. San Marino HS — 40,194*
8. Alhambra HS — 40,047
9. West Ranch HS (Stevenson Ranch) — 39,358
10. Peninsula HS (Palos Verdes) — 39,276
11. North HS (Torrance) — 37,365
12. Burbank HS — 36,807
13. South HS (Torrance) — 36,688
14. Saugus HS — 35,284
15. Arcadia HS — 35,272
16. Rosemead HS — 34,445
17. Rowland HS — 33,883
18. La Canada HS — 32,561
19. Burroughs HS (Burbank) — 32,508
20. El Segundo HS — 32,381
21. Duarte HS — 32,086
22. Los Altos HS (Hacienda Heights) — 31,709
23. West Covina HS — 31,347
24. Hawthorne HS — 30,271
25. Cal Academy Math & Sci (Carson) — 29,933
26. El Monte HS — 29,574
27. Mountain View HS (El Monte) — 28,978
28. Hawthorne Math & Sci — 28,972
29. Gladstone HS (Covina) — 28,388
30. South El Monte HS — 28,334

* Teams that have qualified as wild-card entrants for the California Academic Decathlon

Top 3 Overall Individual Scorers (out of a possible 10,000 points):

1. Jordan Smolinsky, West HS, 12th-grade — 8,525 points
2. Patrick Xiao, West HS, 12th-grade — 8,215 points
3. Shao Yi Qian, Alhambra HS, 11th-grade — 7,972 points

Schools With Most Improved Scores (compared to last year):

 Knight HS (Lancaster) — 5,215 point improvement

 Peninsula HS (Palos Verdes) — 3,987 point improvement

 West Ranch HS (Stevenson Ranch) — 1,908 point improvement

Rookie School of the Year:

Palos Verdes HS — 24,387 (39th Place Overall)

Roberta Kordich Coach Award (for commitment & dedication):  

Coach Victoria Stucken, El Segundo HS

The Downey-based Los Angeles County Office of Education is a public agency that provides programs and services to schools districts throughout the county. The LACAD is presented in partnership with the California Credit Union.

SOURCE Los Angeles County Office of Education