MHS Students Earn National Placement at Academic Decathlon

Marana High School’s Academic Decathlon program made an impressive debut on the national stage, with four students placing in third or higher while competing at the U.S. Academic Decathlon National Tournament in Garden Grove, California. The MHS students competed against more than 700 students from 139 high schools across 30 states.

National Academic Decathlon - Individual Medal Results:

• Nigel Cliett: 1st place (Gold) in Literature, 2nd place (Silver) in Science, 3rd place (Bronze)in Essay
• David Calton: 3rd place (Bronze) in Science
• Nash Farris: 3rd place (Bronze) in Social Science
• Alexandria Carpenter: 3rd place (Bronze) in Art

The students were able to compete at Nationals based on their individual performances at the Arizona State Tournament in March. At the national competition, students competed in categories including Art, Economics, Essay, Interview, Language and Literature, Math, Science, Social Science, and Speech. Students are tested in multiple-choice exams, essays, and performances. They also participate in interviews and deliver speeches as part of the competition.

The students are led by coaches Mr. Mark Calton and Mrs. Janelle Edmonds.

“This is an incredible accomplishment for the program’s first showing at the national level. This achievement is an indicator that our schools are focused on the right areas, including strong academic culture, high-quality instruction, effective professional development of teachers, and engaged students,” said Kristin Reidy, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. “We are on track to becoming a national model of educational excellence in Marana.”