LCWM Academic Decathlon Nationals Trip 2024

The LCWM Academic Decathlon team placed second overall in the state competition, and they will represent Minnesota at the national competition to be held April 22 – 28 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the Division IV (Wild Card) team. This will be LCWM’s 17th appearance in a national Academic Decathlon competition. Past appearances include California in 1999, Alaska in 2001, Arizona in 2002, the medium school national online competition in 2008, the small school national online competition in 2010 and 2011, New Mexico in 2012, Minnesota in 2013, Hawaii in 2014, the small school national online competition in 2015, 2016, and 2017, Texas in 2018, Minnesota in 2019, online in 2022, and Texas in 2023.

The team will need to fundraise approximately $20,000 to cover plane tickets, hotel, transportation, and food.

At the national competition, students will take written tests in art, economics, literature, math, music, science, and social science, present a prepared and impromptu speech, participate in an interview, and write an essay. They will also take part in the Super Quiz Relay which challenges students to work in groups to answer questions in a head-to-head quiz show format. This year’s curriculum theme is “Technology and Humanity”. LCWM students will be competing for national medals as well as scholarships.

Members of the LCWM team are:

Honors: Isabelle Wawrzynaik, Morgan Klinkner, and Jasmine Fleming;

Scholastic: Mitchel Masters, Lauryn Hellekson, and Jacob Nelson;

Varsity: Abigail Buffington, Owen Cooper, and Reese Anderson.

Team coach is Billy James.