‘We Are The Champions’
Harmony wins Academic Decathlon title Granite’s David Gomez,tapia win individual crowns
VISALIA – “We Are The Champions” by Queen greeted Harmony Magnet Academy students Monday morning via their audio A.M. Bulletin in honor of the team’s big win Saturday at the 2023 Tulare County Academic Decathlon in Visalia. And at the end of the day, HMA’S Academic Decathlon — consisting of an all-rookie team who had never participated in an Academic Decathlon prior to Saturday — returned with 61 medals, three plaques, the title and trophy for Top Small School, the title, trophy and bragging rights of Overall 2023 Tulare County Academic Decathlon Championship — and the honor of representing Tulare County at the state finals in Santa Clara. The Academic Decathlon State Finals will be held virtually March 1–19.
“I’m proud of the team’s commitment and of Coach Kim Marsh’s dedication to excellence,” said HMA Principal Jeff Brown on Monday morning. “They honored all Harmony Magnet students, past, present and future”
Academic Decathlon Coach, and AP and English 3 teacher Marsh could be seen beaming following the announcement.
“I am almost speechless. It’s my first year as a coach. Our school has had a team for several years and it’s our ‘bringing the academic decathlon back to Harmony,’” Marsh said. “All of our competitors, it was their first year. I’m really proud of the kids.”
This year the Tulare County Academic Decathlon, a 10-event scholastic competition culminating with a Super Quiz competition open to the public on Saturday, had students from eighth high schools competing for the chance to advance to the state competition.
Porterville Unified School District’s Harmony Magnet Academy competed in the Small
School Division against Orosi and Woodlake High Schools, while PUSD’S Granite Hills High School competed in the Large Schools Division against full teams from El Diamante and Golden West of Visalia, and individual team members from Dinuba and Tulare Western.
PUSD’S Granite Hills High School entered two teams into the competition — and though they didn’t take home the Large School trophy, both teams shined through it all and by the time it was all done, GHHS returned with 60 medals, four ‘highest scoring’ plaques — three of them with Perfect Scores, and two Highest Scoring Decathlete trophies — earned by David Gomez for Scholastic, and Geovani Tapia, Honors.
“I’m super excited for the students and for Mrs. Marsh for all their hard work and dedication throughout the semester,” said HMA Vice Principal Jonathon Dodson at the event. “The students come to school early, Zero Period, so they’re actually taking eight periods out of the day and for all their hard work, taking the overall championship is great to see.”
HMA senior Jay Dillon who helped his school to victory by winning 9 medals and two plaques said he joined after his instructor reached out to him over the summer to join the team and he thought to give it a chance.
“Now here we are,” Dillon said and shared his thoughts throughout the awards ceremony. “It’s shocking. I couldn’t believe we pulled it off. When we first started, I had no clue. Actually, I thought we gotten really behind. And it turns out, we made it.”
Also in the running for the title was PUSD’S Granite Hills High School whose two teams also shined at the event.
GHHS Academic Coach Elissa Lombardi praised her teams for doing great.
“We have two of the top three highest scoring decathletes – Giovani (Tapia) and David (Gomez) had the highest score in their GPA group,” Lombardi said, adding with 18 students participating, she divided them into two teams.
Tapia also was named as the student with the highest score of the three top academic decathletes.
Tapia and Gomez, who each earned 10 medals, and a trophy each, said they weren’t expecting it.
“I was thinking, ‘What the heck happened?’” Tapia said as he heard his name called for top Varsity student. “I wasn’t expecting it, so much as, I was hoping for it. I was thinking, I would love to take home a trophy. I know its selfish but hey.”
Gomez said he felt confident in the running.
“But when they announced my name, I felt speechless that I got to walk in the same footsteps as my brother who won the same exact trophy last year,” David Gomez said about his brother, Daniel Gomez.
Their mother, who was present this year, said she missed last year because she didn’t know about the awards ceremony.
“They are twins,” his mom said about David and Daniel Gomez. “I am very proud and very happy with all they’ve accomplished. We didn’t know last year. We didn’t come. The awards were given to them at school.”
Prior to Saturday’s Super Quiz and Awards Ceremony, the teams of six to nine members contended in 10 grueling virtual events with team members divided in equal numbers from three grade-point groups, including Varsity (0-2.99 GPA), Scholastic (3-3.74 GPA) and Honors (3.75-4 GPA). Team members were tested in an array of subjects including economics, social science, mathematics, music, art, language and literature, and science. In addition, the students presented prepared and impromptu speeches, written essays on given topics, and underwent interviews by a panel of judges.
The oral “Super Quiz” — with the national theme this year of “The American Revolution and the New Nation” was the final competitive event.
All together, PUSD earned 121 medals, seven plaques, two highest-scoring decathletes trophies, the Top Small School trophy, and the Overall Championship trophy.
Harmony team members were: Jay Dillon, Allison Daguman, Alyssandra Oracion, Arturo Vargas, Janie Wilkinson, Miguel Prado, Quinn Soriano, Sean Phillips, Alexander Delgado, Daniel Ramos, Ahla Saleh and Arturo Vargas.