Arcadia High School Comes in No. 12 in Academic Decathlon Monrovia HS — Wins Rookie of Yr Award with 28,566 points (26th Place Overall)

Arcadia High School Comes in No. 12 in Academic Decathlon
Monrovia HS — Wins Rookie of Yr Award with 28,566 points (26th Place Overall)

West High School of Torrance has scored a hat trick in winning the 2011 Los Angeles County Academic Decathlon (LACAD) team title, county education officials announced today.

West, a perennial top contender, won its third consecutive decathlon with a total of 44,467 points (out of a possible 60,000). Mark Keppel High School of Alhambra took second with a tally of 41,550 points, marking its third straight runner-up finish to West.

By winning the LACAD, West automatically advances to the California Academic Decathlon March 12-14 in Sacramento. But because their scores were high enough to qualify as statewide “wild-card” entrants, Keppel and six other teams have also won berths in the state contest.

Those six other teams, in order of finish, are: Alhambra HS (41,495), Torrance HS (41,267), Burbank HS (40,605), El Rancho HS of Pico Rivera (40,509), South HS of Torrance (40,002) and West Ranch HS of Stevenson Ranch (38,665).

The 2011 LACAD results were announced by L.A. County Interim Superintendent of Schools Jon R. Gundry in ceremonies at the Quiet Cannon Country Club. Nearly 400 students from 45 teams participated in the decathlon that is annually presented by the Los Angeles County Office of Education in partnership with the California Credit Union and USC.

The top-scoring individual decathlete overall was Shao Yi Qian of Alhambra, a senior, who tallied 8,514 points (out of a possible 10,000). He was followed by Aaron Cheng, a senior from West, who totaled 8,328 points, and Lisa Beckman, a junior and also from West, with 8,235 points.

The LACAD competition, which this year focused on the study theme of The Great Depression, took place Jan. 29 at El Rancho HS and Feb. 5 at USC’s Galen Center. The LACAD is open to public high schools in the county that are outside of the Los Angeles Unified School District, which holds a separate Academic Decathlon competition and awards ceremony.

The Academic Decathlon is a local-county/state/national honors program designed to promote self-assurance, academic enrichment and teamwork among students from a diversity of academic backgrounds.

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, Social Science, Speech and Super Quiz (Science).

The state winner earns a trip to the U.S. Academic Decathlon slated for April 27-30 in Charlotte, NC.

2011 L.A. County Academic Decathlon Results —

Team & Top Individual Scores and Special Awards
Overall Team Scores (out of a possible 60,000 points):

1. West HS (Torrance) — 44,467
2. Keppel HS (Alhambra) — 41,550*
3. Alhambra HS — 41,495*
4. Torrance HS — 41,267*
5. Burbank HS — 40,605*
6. El Rancho HS (Pico Rivera) — 40,509*
7. South HS (Torrance) — 40,002*
8. West Ranch HS (Stevenson Ranch) — 38,665*
9. Beverly Hills HS — 38,285
10. Redondo Union HS — 37,151
11. Saugus HS — 36,873
12. Arcadia HS — 36,594
13. North HS (Torrance) — 36,093
14. El Segundo HS — 35,569
15. San Marino HS — 34,528
16. Rosemead HS — 33,847
17. Rowland HS — 33,185
18. PV Peninsula HS — 32,161
19. La Canada — 30,663
20. Cal Academy Math & Sci (Carson) — 29,907
21. Azusa HS — 29,881
22. Los Altos HS (Hacienda Heights) — 29,731

26. Monrovia HS — 28,566
27. West Covina HS — 28,370
28. Lakewood HS — 27,896
29. Pioneer HS (Whittier) — 27,856
30. Hawthorne HS — 27,626
31. Vasquez HS (Acton) — 27,091
32. San Gabriel HS — 26,884
33. Firebaugh HS (Lynwood) — 26,298
34. El Monte HS — 26,015
35. Gladstone HS (Covina) — 25,802
36. Montebello HS — 25,174
37. Edgewood HS (West Covina) — 25,146
38. La Puente HS — 24,811
39. Jordan HS (Long Beach) — 23,441
40. Mountain View (El Monte) — 22,855
41. Pasadena HS — 22,827
42. Inglewood HS — 22,815
43. Lancaster HS — 20,895
44. Palos Verdes HS — 20,170
45. Bell Gardens HS — 15,017
23. Arroyo HS (El Monte) — 28,975
24. Glendora HS — 28,957
25. Burroughs HS (Burbank) — 28,805

* 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):

Shao Yi Qian, Alhambra HS, 12th-grade — 8,514 points
Aaron Cheng, West HS, 12th-grade — 8,328 points
Lisa Beckman, West HS, 11th-grade — 8,235 points

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

Lancaster HS — 17,553 point improvement
Inglewood HS — 16,891 point improvement
Glendora HS — 9,635 point improvement

Rookie School of the Year:

Monrovia HS — 28,566 points (26th Place Overall)

Roberta Kordich Coach Award (for commitment & dedication):

Coach Thomas Riley, Mark Keppel HS

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