On Nov. 19, 2011, twelve LHS students traveled to Everett High School to compete in the Large School Competition for Academic Decathlon. The competition consists of seven examinations at the AP level on subjects clustered around a specific theme. This year's theme is "The Age of Empire." Tests included Art, Music, Economics, Science (Physics), Math, and a "Super Quiz" on detailed history and historiography. Contestants are grouped into three divisions, corresponding to a GPA formulated by US Academic Decathlon standards. We must have three students per division (Honors, Scholastic, Varsity) in order to have a full team. We also can bring alternates to competitions.
This year's team consisted of:
1st Honors Vickey Ngo
2nd Honors Monique Menezes
3rd Honors Katrina Vigeant
1st Scholastic Urann Chan
2nd Scholastic Emily Sem
3rd Scholastic Anna Michelson
1st Varsity Boris Stanchev
2nd Varsity Andrew Kelley
3rd Varsity Kelly Chan
With Prohours Thang, Levy Te, and Michelle Mailloux as alternates.
What you see in the slide show above is the day: travel...and studying, breakfast...and studying, testing, break/eating/studying, more testing, lunch/eating/studying, more testing, then the awards. The team's mascot is "Little Leo" (a Leonardo da Vinci doll, since we are the Da Vinci Society). When you see the kids sharing music, it is to study the twelve classical pieces that they had to memorize for the music test. Likewise with art. To watch them at their lunchtime meal was to see and hear the best of what LHS has to offer. These are remarkable young women and men.
The results? Vickey Ngo and Boris Stanchev both double medaled, with Boris taking 3rd place in total points for his division. Boris, Vickey, and Andrew Kelley had the three highest point totals for the team. Equally importantly, the team as a whole took 16th out of the 36 teams competing in two simultaneous tournaments. That was good enough to earn Lowell's first berth in the state finals next March. Only 16 teams advanced to the state finals, so every member's contribution was critical. Lowell AcDec will now move into high gear to prepare for the Landry Invitational in February and the state finals in March.