Orange County students test their knowledge in annual Super Quiz Relay

On Saturday, Feb. 4, approximately 550 Orange County students put their hard work to the test for the final day of the 2023 Orange County Academic Decathlon at Westminster High School.

Presented by the Orange County Academic Decathlon Association and the Orange County Department of Education, the annual contest invites high school students to complete a series of 10 academically challenging events that help build teamwork and a competitive spirit. This year, the decathlon celebrated its 55th anniversary.

Leading up to Saturday’s event, students had prepared speeches, participated in interviews and completed essay assignments that contributed to their overall scores. On the second day of the two-part competition, 35 schools took part in the objective testing round, which consisted of 30-minute multiple choice tests.

For the final round, nine decathletes from each campus put their heads together for the Super Quiz Relay — a high-energy contest that resembles a sporting event.

The teams participated in feats of academic strength in a variety of subjects including art, science, mathematics, economics, social sciences, language and literature. Students shouted out their answers while parents and classmates cheered them on from the stands holding handmade signs.

Once all scores are tallied, individual and team medals will be announced at an awards ceremony on Feb. 10 at Orange Coast College. The overall winning team will then move onto the California Academic Decathlon in March.

This year’s academic decathlon was organized with support from sponsors including NuVision Federal Credit Union, Del Taco Restaurants Inc., Aeries Software, Townsend Public Affairs and Centigex.