SHS Academic Decatholon team returns from Nationals

By Reader Staff

Sandpoint High School’s Academic Decathlon Team had the honor of attending the United States Academic Decathlon National Finals in Frisco, Texas this year.

The SHS Academic Decatholon team poses at Nationals. Courtesy photo.

The team, composed of members Adele Marchiando, Allison Kinnard, Corinne Capodagli, Shane Curtis, Sam Jackson, Emma Reed, Hyrum Hunsaker and Liam Loper, competed in Division 4 with 16 other teams and finished with an overall score of 39,507 points, taking ninth place in their division and 28th in the nation out of a total of 72 teams.

Approximately 700 students from the United States, England and China took part in the competition. Marchiando took home three medals, with the second highest essay score of the entire competition, earning her a gold in the category, as well as a bronze medal in both the speech and interview categories.

Curtis earned a silver medal in the economics category. The team also took first place in Division 4 in the Super Quiz. The SHS team beat the other Idaho Academic Decathlon team, Sugar Salem, who competed in Division 3, by a difference of 1,293 points and is currently number one in the state of Idaho.

The students were accompanied by their coach, Dana Stockman, and parent Carol Curtis, who volunteered as a speech judge and a Super Quiz proctor at the meet. They look forward to the prospects of competing again next year and would like to thank all of the following sponsors who helped them get to Texas:

Sandpoint Computers, The Equinox Foundation, Sandpoint Super Drug, Winter Ridge, Litehouse, Ballard Orthodontics, White Cross Pharmacy, Pend Oreille Mechanical, Dr. Ben Bull DDS, Alliance Title and Escrow, Steve’s Import Auto, McCall’s Motors, Sandpoint Dental Care, Women’s Health Care, Evans Bros., Paint Bucket, Auto Electric, Emerald Engine Rebuilders, Inc., Pend Oreille Veterinary Clinic, Diedrich Roasters, Harlow’s School Bus Service, Image Maker Photo and Video, Lana Key Realty, Sand Creek Custom Wear and BoTANica.

They would also like to thank the following individual sponsors for their donations: Geraldine Stockman, Richard Jackson, Mike Jackson, Peter and Judy Marchiando, Lynne Stockman, James and Laurell Chapman, Chris Painter, Beverly Dunn, Dawn Linendoll, M. A. McNall, Sally Ansley, Carmen Poloni, John Herron of Tomlinson Sotheby’s and Jen Heller of the Pend Oreille Vision Center.

The team wishes to thank everyone for their generosity and support, without which they could not have traveled to Nationals.