BATTLE OF WITS TEAMS PUMP UP BRAINS FOR DECATHLON.Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - With just a week to go before the county's annual Academic Decathlon decathlon (dĭkăth`lŏn), in modern Olympic games, a contest for men held over two days and composed of 10 track-and-field events. contest, scholastic gladiators gladiators [Lat.,=swordsmen], in ancient Rome, class of professional fighters, who performed for exhibition. Gladiatorial combats usually took place in amphitheaters. They probably were introduced from Etruria and originally were funeral games. from two local high schools are cramming the last bits of obscure facts from American history into their young minds - including the proper technique for preparing a meal of beaver tails. ``You've got to cut the tail, then snap it off and simmer it over fire,'' Canyon High competitor Kristian Perfecto per·fec·to n. pl. per·fec·tos A cigar of standard length, thick in the center and tapered at each end. [From Spanish, perfect, from Latin perfectus; see perfect.] said of the American frontier delicacy. ``It's all fat. I guess they needed it to stay warm.'' Saugus and Canyon high schools Canyon High School can refer to:
The top-scoring teams will advance to the state competition in March in Sacramento, with a shot to compete in the nationals set for April in Boise, Idaho “Boise” redirects here. For other uses, see Boise (disambiguation). Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the county seat of Ada County and the principal city of the Boise metropolitan area. . To advance, teams of up to nine students, divided into three divisions by grade-point average, must master traditional subjects such as math, science and English and survive a round of interviews and public speaking. Tying the 10 events together this year is the theme ``America: The Growth of a Nation.'' ``I'm sure they think we're just a bunch of nerds and all we do is study,'' said 16-year-old Saugus team member Sean Fitzhugh. ``But we've got to be well-rounded to do the interview. We've got to have personality.'' Saugus has had some success in the rigorous contest. Last year, the team placed fourth in the county overall, and scored a win in the fast-paced Super Quiz event in 2002. Canyon High placed sixth two years ago, but failed to crack the top ten last year. This year, both teams are working to overcome the loss of previous squad veterans to graduation. ``We only had three kids back from the previous year,'' Saugus coach Dana Bobek said. ``It's a little harder. The younger the kids, the less math they have.'' Bobek said her team will focus on speech delivery, art, music and this year's Super Quiz topic: the Lewis and Clark expedition Lewis and Clark expedition, 1803–6, U.S. expedition that explored the territory of the Louisiana Purchase and the country beyond as far as the Pacific Ocean. . ``They have an inherent interest in it,'' she said. ``They're less hard science kids and more social science.'' Canyon coach and history teacher Dennis Lynch believes his students have the advantage in the Super Quiz. To prepare, he even followed the pioneering explorers' trail last summer in a tour of the Dakotas. ``I just fell in love with it, and I brought a lot of it alive with the kids,'' said Lynch, who has coached at Canyon since 1987. ``Hopefully, they'll do real well.'' Students from both teams have been meeting for about an hour before or after school since last spring to prepare for the contest. ``It's like going to another school,'' Perfecto said. Despite the constant work, Adrienne Nau, 16, enjoys learning random facts. ``Lewis got shot when he was mistaken for an elk,'' the Saugus High sophomore said, recalling the factoid fac·toid n. 1. A piece of unverified or inaccurate information that is presented in the press as factual, often as part of a publicity effort, and that is then accepted as true because of frequent repetition: on demand. ``You can just pull it out anytime when you're talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to someone.'' For Fitzhugh, the attraction is the perks that come with competition. ``I first thought of doing this because it looks good in my college application,'' he said. ``And I like the competition aspect. I like to win.'' The 22nd Los Angeles County Academic Decathlon is scheduled for Feb. 6 and 7. Only the Super Quiz event, to be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center's Concourse Hall at 3 p.m. on Feb. 7, is open to the public. Eugene Tong, (661) 257-5253 eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Andrew Danowitz, 17, of Saugus High practices his speech for the Academic Decathlon, which begins on Feb. 6. (2 -- color) Seventeen-year-old Hallie Pastor, right, works on her interview technique at a practice session at Saugus High School Saugus High School may refer to:
Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer (3) Canyon's team, led by teacher Dennis Lynch, left rear, is revved up for the Super Quiz on Lewis and Clark's expedition. David R. Crane/Staff Photographer |
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