Lemoore Middle College School wins state Academic Decathlon championship; national title looms in Minnesota April 25-27

The Lemoore Union High School District Charter School recently captured the Kings County Academic Decathlon title, its seventh championship in a row.

At Sunday’s Sacramento award ceremony, the school of just 230 students, bested all schools with up to 1,400 students, and to achieve its win, LMCHS had to beat frequent division winner University Charter of Fresno, a second-place finisher. 

For the first time, LMCHS also made it into the elite top 10 lists for schools of all sizes.

The competition challenged the students with two days of grueling academic tests, essays, interviews, speeches, and a fast-paced Super Quiz public event.  Preparation for this year’s competition began last summer and required a sometimes-mind-numbing commitment to frequent in-school, after-school, weekend, and holiday study.

In addition to their team win, individual members acquired an impressive seven event medals.  Medalists included Randen Banuelos (silver in Art, bronze in Economics, silver in Literature), Anna Crownover (bronze in Interview), Nathalia DeSouza (bronze in Essay), Beau Reynolds (bronze in Literature), and Renee Snell (bronze in Interview).  Randen Banuelos also garnered the award for the highest scoring member of the team.

The team, fresh off its California win, begins a month in which the LMCHS competitors, and their coaches, will push to get their scores even higher, as they pursue a second win at the national competition in Bloomington, Minnesota, April 25–27.