Bobcats bring home top honors
Paradise High School recently won the virtual Butte County Academic Decathlon bringing home 20 bronze, 10 silver and 14 gold medals.
“This is only the second time in history that Paradise High has won. This was another tough year with the pandemic that I wasn’t sure how they would pull it together but they did and I am so proud of them. They are all super hard workers and Brianna Clark, team captain, kept them moving ahead. We couldn’t have done it without her,” said Jori Krudler, English teacher and academic decathlon coach.
Paradise team members Brianna Clark, Billy Armstrong, Luka Sucre-Bremner, Thomas Hearn, Kaylee Bartle, Colby Boston, Isabella Morris, Katie Elder and Alya Kirby won 44 medals in competitions in music, literature, math art, economics, science, social science, speech, essay and interview.
“These kids inspire me with their resilience and hard work. After losing their homes in the Camp Fire and in the middle of a pandemic these kids came together to do extra studying for fun. What teacher wouldn’t be inspired by them?” said Krudler.
Las Plumas High School which won the decathlon in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020 made a strong showing
in the brainiac competition this year. The ninemember team of sophomores, juniors and seniors included Miles Miller, Andrew Oliver, Lillee Madison, Mitsue Hillman, Charles Whalley, Vincent Lee, Lindsay Ortiz, Makaiya Jones and Emily Morrison, who served as team captain, brought home 41 medals for the second-place win. The team swept the gold in science with Hillman, Morrison, Whalley and Miller earning one gold each.
“It was a challenge to get a team together. We don’t see all the kids every day at school because of the COVID schedule. The majority of the work and practice was on Zoom. I couldn’t be
more proud of them for taking on more thing, adding more work to their schedules. It was commendable,” said Cristian Bruce, English teacher and coach.
Oroville High School struggled with putting a team together for the competition this year with some students dropping out and new members being added in at the last minute. Overall, the Oroville High team members Pa Ying Yang, Oua Yang, Isiah Holis, Jasmine Vang, Taydem Lee and cocaptains Avalon Vang and Rosie Yang brought home 18 medals.
“I can’t even begin to articulate how proud of them I am. That the team captains were able to even pull
a team together during a time when kids are having a hard time even showing up for school is amazing. They are rock stars,” said Samantha Muntifering, art and ceramics teacher and coach.
Mary Ellen Garrahy, Butte County Office of Education student events manger and county academic decathlon coordinator, said she was “really proud of the students, coaches and team captains for coming together, challenging themselves and going above and beyond to take on this very demanding extracurricular activity.”
The Paradise High team will now move on to compete in the virtual state competition in March.