Campolindo High School is Contra Costa County's 2013 Academic Decathlon Champion

History truly repeated itself when the top three 2013 Contra Costa County High School Academic Decathlon finishing teams were a carbon copy of last year's results. At the exciting Academic Decathlon Awards Reception, held February 4, Campolindo High School (Moraga) Red Team (pictured above) once again finished in first place, and will go on to represent Contra Costa County in the California State Academic Decathlon competition. Also in repeating rolls, Campolindo's Blue Team, took 2nd place, and Acalanes (Lafayette) High School finished in 3rd.

Directed by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) and with the assistance of community volunteers, the county's Academic Decathlon provides an opportunity for high school students to compete as individuals and teams in a series of ten academic tests and demonstrations. The curriculum includes art, economics, language and literature, social science, mathematics, music, science, essay, interview, speech (prepared and impromptu), and the Super Quiz™ Relay.

Approximately, 170 participating high school students had been studying and preparing for this event with their coaches since September. This year's Academic Decathlon theme was Russia, and the Super Quiz™ focused on the areas the participating students had been preparing for with the comprehension portion of Academic Decathlon, e.g., science, art, economics, and literature.

This year's teams represented the following high schools: Acalanes (Lafayette), California (San Ramon), Campolindo (Moraga), Las Lomas (Walnut Creek), Miramonte (Orinda), and Pittsburg (Pittsburg). High school teams were made up of nine students, grades 9-12, with a maximum of three students in each of the following divisions: Honors (3.75-4.00 GPA), Scholastic (3.00-3.74 GPA) and Varsity (2.99 GPA and below).

High schools that have more than nine students who want to participate in Academic Decathlon, can field more than one team, e.g., Campolindo's Red and Blue Teams. The teams can also bring guests or alternate participants from their school.

The Campolindo Red Team will now represent Contra Costa County at the California State Academic Decathlon, to be held in Sacramento, March 14-17.

During the awards ceremony, many individual awards were also given out. This year's Top Overall Academic Decathlon Individual Award went to Zach Scherer, of Campolindo High School. All Academic Decathlon resultss are posted on the CCCOE's website.

The Academic Decathlon was first created by Dr. Robert Peterson, former Superintendent of Schools in Orange County, California. Firmly believing that everyone's learning potential can be maximized through competitive challenge, Dr. Peterson set in motion the contest that has since come to be recognized as the most prestigious high school academic team competition in the United States. The program spread rapidly throughout the states due to the success and excitement it engendered. USAD was founded in 1981.

This year's National Academic Decathlon will be held in Minneapolis, Minn., April 25 - 27.

Campolindo High School Returns as Contra Costa County’s 2012 Academic Decathlon Champion

Last night, during an exciting awards reception, it was announced that Campolindo High School (Moraga) Red Team successfully defended its title as the overall team winner of the 2012 Contra Costa County High School Academic Decathlon.  Along with Campolindo Red Team’s triumphant return, the school’s Blue Team also repeated its second place standing from last year, as well.  This year’s third place team went to Acalanes High School (Lafayette).  The Campolindo Red Team will now represent Contra Costa County at the California State Academic Decathlon, to be held in Sacramento, March 15-18.  (This year's National Academic Decathlon will be held in Albuquerque, N.M., April 26 – 28.)

Also noteworthy, of the two Alameda County participating schools, Irvington took first place; the school will represent their county at the California State Academic Decathlon.  (Alameda County Office of Education does not produce a county-wide Academic Decathlon.)

Directed by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), and with the assistance of community volunteers, the county’s Academic Decathlon provides an opportunity for high school students to compete as individuals and teams in a series of ten academic tests and demonstrations.  The curriculum includes art, economics, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, essay, interview, speech (prepared and impromptu), and the Super Quiz™.  More than 155 participating high school students had been studying and preparing for this event with their coaches since September.

This year’s Academic Decathlon theme was The Age of Empire, and the Super Quiz™ will focus on the topic of The Age of Imperialism: The Making of a European Global Order.  The Super Quiz™ included readings on such topics as mercantile empires, the Atlantic economy, motives for imperialism, the role of technology in the age of imperialism, New Imperialism, tactics of colonial rule, and decolonization and postcolonial immigration.

This year's participating teams represent the following high schools: Acalanes (Lafayette), Antioch (Anticoch), California (San Ramon), Campolindo (Moraga), Dublin (Dublin), Freedom (Oakley), Irvington (Fremont), Las Lomas (Walnut Creek),  Miramonte (Orinda), and Pittsburg (Pittsburg).  Acalanes High School has won the past four years.  High school teams are made up of nine students, grades 9-12, with a maximum of three students in each of the following divisions: Honors (3.75-4.00 GPA), Scholastic (3.00-3.74 GPA) and Varsity (2.99 GPA and below).  High schools that have more than nine students who want to participate in Academic Decathlon, can field more than one team, e.g., Campolindo’s Red and Blue Teams.  The teams can also bring guests or alternate participants from their school. 

During the awards ceremony, many individual awards were also given out.  (All Academic Decathlon statistics will be posted on the CCCOE’s website in the very near future.)

The Academic Decathlon was first created by Dr. Robert Peterson, former Superintendent of Schools in Orange County, California. Firmly believing that everyone's learning potential can be maximized through competitive challenge, Dr. Peterson set in motion the contest that has since come to be recognized as the most prestigious high school academic team competition in the United States.  The program spread rapidly throughout the states due to the success and excitement it engendered.  USAD was founded in 1981.  

Upcoming Contra Costa County High School Model UN Announces Record Participation

Contra Costa County Model United Nations Gavel Winners from 2010

An impressive increase in student participants planning to take part in the 21st annual conference of the Contra Costa County High School Model United Nations, is announced by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE).  The Model UN, to be held on November 4-5, has a current count of 315 registered students – a jump of 38% over last year.

During these times of slashing school budgets and the continued downsizing of educational opportunities for our students, this increase of student participation is certainly remarkable.  Despite such obstacles, the students, as well as their parents and schools, find ways to take part in such important academic opportunities.

Model UN, is one of five academic events produced by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE).  “This is a wonderful opportunity for these students to utilize what they have learned in their classrooms, Model UN school clubs, and on their own, as they participate in a professionally organized event,” reports CCCOE Chief Communications Officer Peggy Marshburn.  “Our Model UN program continues to grow in participating schools and students.  We often hear from the schools how our academic events [such as Model UN] are a tremendous hands-on learning option to offer their students, plus the experience makes a great addition to the students’ college applications.”  

The CCCOE’s other upcoming academic events include Academic Decathlon, Mock Trial, and National History Day, which are also looking at an increase in participating schools and students, evident by many early registrants.   In addition, the CCCOE’S second-year Mock Trial Invitational, to be held in early December, has already reached maximum capacity.

Model United Nations is a simulation of the UN General Assembly and other multilateral bodies. In Model UN, students step into the shoes of ambassadors from UN member states to debate current issues on the organization's agenda.  While playing their roles as ambassadors, student delegates make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, negotiate with allies and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and navigate the Model UN conference rules of procedure – all in the interest of mobilizing international cooperation to resolve problems that affect countries all over the world.

Before playing out their ambassadorial roles in a Model UN simulation, students research the issue that their committee will address.  Model UN participants learn how the international community acts on its concerns about topics including peace and security, human rights, the environment, food and hunger, economic development and globalization.  Model UN delegates also look closely at the needs, goals and foreign policies of the countries they will represent at the event.  The insights they gain from their exploration of history, geography, culture, economics and science contribute to the authenticity of the simulation when the role playing gets under way. The delegates' in-depth knowledge of their countries guarantees a lively and memorable experience.

This year marks the 67th Anniversary of the United Nations founding in San Francisco.  To give students (delegates) a flavor of the UN’s real-world accomplishments, former United Nations Development Programme Senior Officer Herb Behrstock will be serving as the keynote speaker at the Opening Plenary ceremony.  Behrstock is the current president of the UN Association, East Bay Chapter. 

Participating in this year’s Contra Costa County Model UN are students from: Acalanes High (Lafayette), Antioch High, Athenian High (Danville), Campolindo High (Moraga), Carondelet High (Concord), Deer Valley High (Antioch), De La Salle High (Concord), Dougherty Valley High (San Ramon), Las Lomas (Walnut Creek), Liberty High (Brentwood), Livermore Valley Charter Preparatory High (Livermore), Marin Academy (San Rafael), Northgate High (Walnut Creek), and San Ramon Valley High (Danville). 

For additional information about CCCOE’s Model UN and other academic events, please contact Peggy Marshburn at (925) 942-3420, visit their website. 

Academic Events Showcase Our County's Youth

2010 Model United Nations Gavel Winners

"I declare this session now open," and with a thud of the gavel the 20th Annual Contra Costa County Model UN began. The "delegates," representing countries from Afghanistan to Zambia, debated topics ranging from Post-Conflict Reconstruction to Energy for Sustainable Development. In all, nearly 300 students from 14 area high schools (Acalanes, Antioch, Athenian, California, Campolindo, Carondelet, Concord, De La Salle, Gunn, Las Lomas, Marin Academy, Monte Vista, Northgate, and San Ramon Valley) took part in this year's two-day event, held at Diablo Valley College (DVC) in Pleasant Hill. To help the whole event flow smoothly, members of the UC Davis Model UN Club acted as Committee Chairs -- guiding delegates through resolution proposals, caucuses, and voting sessions -- while volunteers from our Communications and Business departments assisted with registration and set-up. Read more about the event in the Contra Costa Times and see lots of action shots of day one at the Best Delegate Blog and day two here.

Along with our NEW Mock Trial Invitational on December 4, these fall events serve as a warm-up for the Academic Events staff as they get ready for the overlapping January and February competitions of Academic Decathlon and Mock Trial. The County Office serves as the regional host of these two events, determining the team that will go on to represent Contra Costa at the state competition. Hundreds of students acquire important real-world skills in negotiating, public speaking, research, and problem solving.

As the proud sponsor of these events, CCCOE is privileged to showcase our youth's academic achievements. We are even more fortunate so many of our staff feel the same way and volunteer each year as judges, proctors, and set-up artists to ensure that these events maintain CCCOE's reputation for quality. If you would like to be part of this program, please contact Karen Rice at krice@cccoe.k12.ca.us or (925) 942-3400. Volunteers for Academic Decathlon can find sign-up forms here; volunteers for Mock Trial (evening courtroom coordinators are needed) please contact Karen Rice.

Acalanes High School (Lafayette) was announced as the overall team winner of the 2010 Contra Costa County Academic Decathlon, at the Awards Ceremony, held on February 10. This is Acalanes' fourth year in a row as the county's team winner. The top high school teams that followed Acalanes were, in order, Campolindo (Moraga), Miramonte (Orinda), and Pittsburg.