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 ROP student hones his auto repair skills over the summer

Nick Holbrook

On a very warm July afternoon, Campolindo High School student, Nick Holbrook, was found in the bustling Nick’s Mercedes Service repair shop, located in Lafayette.  Dressed in the shop’s mechanic uniform, Holbrook was assisting one of the shop technicians with a transmission flush and ignition tune-up on a mid-2000 Mercedes.  Holbrook, an incoming high school senior, is working at his first ROP internship this summer at Nick’s Mercedes.  It is the repair-shop’s first experience of offering an ROP internship as well. 

Steve Boone, Holbrook’s ROP Advanced Automotive Technology teacher, at Campolindo, recently checked in with his student at the work place: “Nick [Holbrook] is doing fine and still has the excitement in his voice when he talks about the shop.  Nick Wilhelm (proprietor of Nick’s Mercedes) and the rest of the employees are wonderful people, and they tell me how great Nick Holbrook is, working and learning in their shop.  Nick's mentors are Andre and Jerry, who are the full-time technicians at the shop. Nick [Holbrook] only had wonderful things to say about these guys.” 

In his classroom, Boone says that Holbrook is one of his hardest workers in the shop.  “He goes right to work and always tries his best.  He is eager to learn and always willing to give a hand to anyone working on a car.”

Holbrook reports that the internship has been, “Awesome!  I have been learning so much this summer.”  Holbrook said that he will be taking ROP Advanced Automotive Technology II this coming fall at Campolindo. 

Wilhelm said that Holbrook’s internship has really worked out well.  “He and I talk every day about the cars in the shop and the repairs we are providing.  Yesterday, I worked one-on-one with Nick [Holbrook] for two hours on a car.  He is a quick learner, and he’s getting a lot of hands-on experience working with Mercedes models that range from 1980-2007.”

Boone recalled that earlier this year, Holbrook came to him a few times after class asking questions about the possibility of a summer internship.  “I answered his questions and he took a liking to the idea, even though I was pushing him to take an unpaid internship.  With an unpaid internship, I can get the local auto shops in the area interested in working with us, because ROP will pay for the work-site insurance coverage that is needed while the student is being trained.”

Boone asked Holbrook to come up with a list of auto-repair shops he would like to work for.  Holbrook came back with a prioritized list, with Nick’s Mercedes on the top.  “I called them up, talked to them about Nick [Holbrook], and how he wanted to intern in their shop.  Soon after, they all met together, along with Holbrook’s father and Contra Costa County Office of Education Principal of Student Programs Sally Savage, to discuss and finalize the internship contract.

The entire staff at Nick’s Mercedes is still amused – as well as impressed – with Holbrook’s arriving to work on time, but exactly a week early.  Apparently, he wanted to time his bike ride from home to work on a weekday morning, just to make sure he knew how long it would take him to show up on time, when he officially started his internship.

What sparked his interest in working with cars?  “Before entering high school, I enjoyed taking mechanical things apart, figuring out how they work, and then putting them back together,” said Holbrook.  Though he never worked on cars, he was hooked after taking the Beginning Automotive Technology class, also taught by Boone.  After he finishes high school, Holbrook said he would like to attend an automotive technology school.  “My goal is to work for an independent car repair shop, just like Nick’s Mercedes,” Holbrook said with excitement in his voice.

Thanks to an encouraging ROP teacher, internship opportunity classes, and, of course, his supportive family, Holbrook’s goal will certainly be achieved in the upcoming years.  And maybe someday, another Nick’s specialized repair shop will be opening up in the area.

(l-r) Nick Wilhelm, Nick Holbrook, Steve Boone

The Contra Costa County ROP serves 11,000 students with classes in 33 high schools throughout Contra Costa and Alameda counties.  Currently, there are 361 state-of-the-art career-development classes in this program.  ROP focuses on career preparation, hands-on experience, and academic excellence to prepare students for success in college and future careers.  ROP provides students with the newest equipment, rigorous academic standards, and classes in emerging technologies.   All of the ROP classes, internships, and programs are directed by and funded through the Contra Costa County Office of Education.  For more information about ROP, visit their website.