Sheiks win gold and silver at Academic Decathlon

NEWS

Chronicle Reporter

Yahir Martinez

Hollywood High’s academic decathlon team went online against several schools and competed for total dominance. On Feb. 6, the team participated in categories such as interview, speech and a super quiz. 

Before the Academic Decathlon, “I was confident that the team would do well, as they were well-prepared,” said the team leader, Lee Tuomala.

The three students who won, on the other hand, expected to find it difficult. “I did feel nervous because it was my first time doing decathlon, and because of the pandemic, we had to do it online so I didn’t really know what to expect,” said SAS Junior Bryanna Bolanos.

Many of the different topics our team competed in were nerve-racking, but it didn’t stop one of the team members, SAS Junior Belen Cruz, from getting three medals. “I didn’t really feel pressured because decathlon was something I chose to do for fun,” she said. “I felt the most confident in the subjects that I liked the most, including science and literature.”

After all the nerves, the questions, the pressure, our team successfully won in many different topics. Belen won a Literature Silver Medal, a Science gold medal, and a Social Science Gold medal. 

As for the others, Bryanna won a Literature Silver Medal as well, and Senior Nathaly Morales won a silver medal in math. 

“I was very pleased with this year’s results,” Tuomala said. “Five medals overall is a great result. Belen won three medals. In my 30 years of coaching, this is the first time that a HHS decathlete has won three medals.” 

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