SHS/Seward Optimist Club’s Academic Decathlon Team 2020-2021 Competes at State Contest

Named Runner-up in Medium Size Schools-Loses to Omaha Daniel Gross High

February 26, 2021

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Seward High members of the 2020-2021 Academic Decathlon competed February 19th and 20th, 2021. They competed as a Medium School of the Nebraska Academic Decathlon program and were placed in the Combined Medium and Large School Division.  SHS High School seniors selected to participate and represent Seward High in the competition include Miriam Voehl, Hannah Kolterman-Wagner, Cole Gray, Emily Gokie, Elizabeth Gokie, Braden Adams and Isiah VenBeek.  SHS could have up to three in a section for testing but were required to have at least two per section-and they did!  While the team did not win the grand prize and a trip to represent the Nebraska Academic Decathlon Team at nationals, they did place First Runner-up in the Medium School Division-losing only to Omaha’s Daniel Gross.

Elizabeth Gokie won the top score and a Gold Medal for being the top scorer on the Seward High Team and Cole Gray won a Bronze Medal-Third Place in the Essay Division.  The Medium Schools were placed in competition with the Large and Very Large Schools and the competition was not just with the Medium Schools.  

“We are very proud of this team, they worked very, very hard and well represented Seward High and Medium Schools in the competition at the State Level,” commented Noelle Baker, the SHS AD Coach.  “These students were prepared and spent two full days in testing at the state level, and that doesn’t count all the test taken to get to the state level. We look forward to honoring them at a future SHS P.R.I.D.E. Rally and are anxious to recognize them for their hard work representing SHS!”

The US Academic Decathlon program follows the overall curricular them on “The Cold War.”  The tests that were given to the students were multiple choice, on line and  in the subject areas of Science-with a focus on the space race, Literature-which includes the novel “Cat’s Cradle” by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Art –with an emphasis on art fundamentals and art during the cold war, Music-focusing on the various musical works from the Cold War era, Social Science-promoting the history of the Cold War, Economics-emphasizing the economics of the Cold War and Mathematics-promoting  general math, geometry and an introduction to differential calculus. Each 30 minute test had 50 multiple choice questions.  The students were also asked to present a formal speech in Business Dress, participate in an interview and write an essay on a prepared thesis on “The Cold War!”

The students were divided into teams based on their academic grade scores and competed only with other students with the same grade point averages.  All the students took the same tests.  Students will eventually be recognized individually and as a team at the approaching P.R.I.D.E. rally. The students also competed in a special Academic Quiz Bowl based on the theme-The Cold War, using the scores of the social studies test.

The sponsors of the Seward High School Academic Decathlon Team are the School District of Seward-High Ability Learner Program (HAL) and the Seward Optimist Club.  The school district purchases the curriculum/study materials and the Seward Optimist Club donates and sponsors the special SHS Academic Decathlon Team Tee Shirts and members assist in monitoring the local testing.  The advisor/coach for the program at Seward High is SHS Counselor Noelle Baker.  Clark Kolterman served as the monitor for the state testing on Feb. 19^th and Dr. Louis Reith was the monitor on Feb. 20^th.

Photo:  Members of the 2020-2021 Seward High Academic Decathlon State Team include L-R Braden Adams, Cole Gray, Hannah Kolterman-Wagner, Isaiah VanBeek, Emily Gokie, Miriam Voehl and Elizabeth Gokie-coached by Noelle Baker-not pictured.