Elk Mound takes first place in Division 3 of Wisconsin Academic Decathlon

By LeAnn R. Ralph

ELK MOUND  —  Elk Mound’s Academic Decathlon team won first place in Division 3 of the Wisconsin Academic Decathlon in Wisconsin Dells March 3 and 4.

This year’s theme for the Academic Decathlon was India.

Teams from Elk Mound have competed in Academic Decathlon for nearly 30 years, since 1987.

This year’s competition in Wisconsin Dells was the 33rd annual state high school competition.

Each team consists of nine students of varied scholastic ability. The students are divided into an Honor, Scholastic and Varsity category, which is determined by their grade point average of A, B, C, or below.

Academic Decathlon offers the challenge of mental competition for all achievement levels of students in ninth through 12th grade.

Elk Mound’s Academic Decathlon team is coached by Jeff Mack, a math teacher at Elk Mound High School, and Bruce Winchester, a government teacher at EMHS.

“It is a privilege to be the teachers of the Academic Decathlon Team. It is an honor to call these wonderful students our friends,” Winchester said.

Team members include Kaitlyn Baier, Elizabeth Fasbender, Hayden Kohls, Matthew McLaughlin, Jonah LaRock, Hunter Westcott, William Bartholomew, Kendra Potter and Elliot Johnson.

On the theme of India, students were tested in art, mathematics, music, literature, economics, science, social science, interview, essay and speech.

The two-day competition concluded with the Super Quiz Relay, a Jeopardy-style quiz with an audience of more than 400 people.

Students compete for medals, plaques, trophies, cash and direct scholarships to Wisconsin institutions of higher learning.

“Academic Decathlon has been a staple of our extra curricular offerings at Elk Mound High School for many years,” said Paul Weber, principal at Elk Mound High School.

“Mr. Mack and Mr. Winchester have always prepared the students to compete at a high level,” he said.

“I am very proud of the coaches and participants for finishing in first place in their division, but I am not at all surprised. We have a strong tradition of qualifying for state competition and doing well,” Weber said.

Dr. Ron Walsh, superintendent of schools in Elk Mound, says Academic Decathlon helps to build strong future leaders.

“I have always thought that a duty of leaders is to develop other leaders,” Dr. Walsh said.

“Mr. Mack and Mr. Winchester, as coaches of our Academic Decathlon team, whether they know it or not, are developing future leaders — leaders who can think critically under pressure, speak in public forums and incorporate the arts,” he said.

“We are all proud of our state champion Academic Decathlon student participants and coaches,” Dr. Walsh said.

In Division 3 as the first place winner, the Elk Mound team earned 32,917.3 points.

Second place in Division 3 went to Northland Pines High School in Eagle River with 31,595.4 points.

Eagle River is in the northeastern Wisconsin, north and east of Minocqua and Rhinelander.

Third place in Division 3 went to Berlin High School in Berlin with 29,885.6 points.

Berlin is located west of Oshkosh.

The state champion in this year’s Wisconsin Academic Decathlon is Wilmot Union High School with a score of 52,102.3. Wilmot won the Top Team Award in five of the ten subjects: art, literature, music, science and social studies.

Waukesha West High School placed second overall, and Watertown High School placed third in the state.

Wilmot Union High School has earned the right to compete at the national finals in Anchorage Alaska April 28 through April 30.

As a United States Academic Decathlon winner, Sun Prairie, Waukesha West and Melrose-Mindoro high schools have earned the opportunity to represent Wisconsin in the National Online Competition that will occur simultaneously with the event in Anchorage.

Because of the many contributors who support Academic Decathlon, 20 high school teams from Wisconsin were able to participate in the 2016 state finals: Baraboo, Bay Port (Howard-Suamico), Berlin, Dodgeland (Juneau), Elk Mound, Green Bay East, Green Bay Preble, Green Bay Southwest, Marathon, Melrose-Mindoro, New Berlin Eisenhower, New Richmond, Northland Pines, Pewaukee, Slinger, Sun Prairie, Watertown, Waukesha West and Wilmot Union.

A total of 180 students participated in this year’s Academic Decathlon with the help of 125 volunteers.

To reach the state competition, students advanced from local and regional events and competed with 105 teams.

The USAD National Competition will be held in Madison in 2017 on April 20 through April 22.