California’s Decathletes visit Madera for Lecture Day
For The Madera Tribune
Madera South Team: Ashley Banuelos, Justin Caballero, Angelica Cervantes, Josselyn Chavez, David Contreras, Rosabelle Flores, Ashley Garcia, Alberto Garnica-Navarro, Jessica Giron, Pablo Giron, Norma Gomez, Elvia Guadalupe-Lopez, Marisa Guevara, Aiden Lamerson, Brooklyn Lopez, Esmeralda Marquez, Brian Ordaz, Jesus Ortiz Ramos, Catherine Ortiz-Moreno, Brenda Perez-Navarro, Itzela Pozos, Abigail Reyes, Monse Reyes, Evelyn Santiago, Aida Vasquez, Azucena Velasco, Justin Villa, Wendy Zarate. Coached by Leslie Rouse.
Nearly 300 Academic Decathletes from throughout California joined Madera County’s high school competitors in Madera for the 16th Annual Academic Decathlon Lecture Day.
Valley experts lectured on six subject areas pertaining to this year’s Decathlon topic, “The American Revolution and the New Nation.”
“We were so excited to be back in person for the first time in three years,” said Dr. Cecilia Massetti, Madera County Superintendent of Schools. “Lecture Day gives students the opportunity to interact with students from other schools across the state and to come together building their own team. The presentations allow the students to interact with experts while learning not only about the topics but the context in which the events occurred.”
Decathletes were allowed to attend four of six sessions throughout the day. Sessions included: Early American Art, presented by Susana Sosa, Fresno City College professor; Literature, Wieland, presented by Tiffiny Remmer, Madera Community College professor; Early American Music, presented by Cactus Harris, Clovis Community College professor; The American Revolution, presented by David Richardson, Madera Community College professor; Chemistry, presented by Lawrence Samora, Madera Community College professor; and Speech, presented by Dr. Brad Millar, Madera Community College professor.
“We are grateful to all of the speakers who generously share their knowledge, expertise, and time with our students,” said Massetti.
The lectures were held at Movies Madera. Each speaker lectured in a theater and students moved about the different theaters. Each professor lectured for at least two 50-minute sessions.
Theater owner Bob Gran donated the theater for the event. The event is sponsored by Madera County Schools Foundation and Madera County Superintendent of Schools.
Each session was geared toward the topics and areas of study for the 2023 Academic Decathlon. Students are studying the Revolutionary War which includes the art, economics, language and literature, math, music, science, and social science of the time period.
This year Madera County will have eight schools participate: Chawanakee Academy, Chowchilla Union High School, Glacier High School Charter, Liberty High School, Madera High School, Madera South High School, Matilda Torres High School, and Yosemite High School.
The competition will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.
For information about the Academic Decathlon and ways to get involved, contact Kristi Winter, events coordinator for Madera County Superintendent of Schools at 662-3873.
