Academic Decathlon
Dreher’s state champion Academic Decathlon team placed 18th at this
year’s US Academic Decathlon (USAD) in Los Angeles. Academic
Decathlon is the most rigorous academic competition available for high
school students. Teams are composed of A, B and C students. The team
score is computed by taking the top two total scores from the A, B, and
C levels.
The teams competing in Los Angeles were state winners plus teams
from China and England. Representing South Carolina were Dreher
juniors Zach Aull, Emily Shimizu and Cari Tuel and seniors George
Bilderback, Abel Ferry, Patrick Fox, Gabrielle Fulton, Evan Owen, Kyle
Ryan, Cameron Sawyer and Nick Seymour. Dreher’s team is coached
by math teachers Christina Murphy and Linda Williams with the
support of Guidance counselor Kevin Kirkley.
Each year a new theme is selected for study. This year the theme was
Energy, and students were tested on economics, music, art,
mathematics, language and literature, science, and social science.
Additionally, students delivered a prepared and impromptu speech,
were judged on their interview skills, and wrote an essay based either
on the curriculum studied this year or the book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.
Dreher’s team members won many individual awards at the
competition:
George Bilderback: Silver in Mathematics
Evan Owen: Bronze in Interview
Abel Ferry: Gold in Literature; Bronze in Science; and Bronze in Art
Cameron Sawyer: Bronze in Speech
Academic Decathlon
Cari Tuel: Silver in Literature
USAD awarded Emily Shimizu $250 for having the highest Dreher team
score and $250 for being voted most valuable member by her
teammates.
Zach Aull was awarded the $250 Founders Scholarship for having the
most improved score from state competition to national competition
for all competitors in Division II.
Our students are to be congratulated not only for the medals and
awards won at the national competition, but for their devotion to the
pursuit of academic excellence. These students met every morning for
one hour before the start of the school day in order to prepare for the
competition. They represented our school and state well in Los Angeles.
We are extremely proud of Dreher’s decathletes.