Moniteau team finishes 7th in Academic Decathlon finals
CHERRY TWP — The Moniteau Academic Decathlon Team placed seventh among 36 schools nationwide in the U.S. Academic Decathlon national championship in Charlotte, N.C., on April 27-30.
Representing Pennsylvania, the nine-member team placed second among 14 schools in the small school division.
“We have a great thing going on at Moniteau,” said team coach Jeremy Borkowski. “This proves there’s a great academic program here.”
Team members are: seniors Sarah Miller and John Klecha; juniors Tim Shearer, Clarissa Kimmey and John Cravenor; sophomores Amanda Mock, Angela Schandelmeier and Roman Weingartner; and freshman Jake Taciuch. It is coached by Borkowski and Kelli Kimmey.
Moniteau advanced to the national competition after emerging as the top team both in the regional competition in February and in the state competition in March.
During competitions, the students take seven multiple choice exams in art, economics, language and literature, math, music, science and social science. Also included are three objective events: speech, interview and essay.
The students spend hours reading, studying and preparing for competition, said Moniteau High School Principal Maynard Harvey.
“The kids have worked hard and it’s nice to see the reward at the end of the rainbow, so to speak,” Harvey said. “They put a lot of time and a lot of energy into it, and really, it involves a lot of sacrifices.”
Miller of Concord Township said she was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the decathlon.
“It’s a really rewarding program that more people should take advantage of,” said Miller, who will enter an accelerated pharmacy program at Gannon University this fall. “I feel that next year, when I take my college classes, I’ll know the proper way to study and attack the more challenging courses.”
John Klecha of North Washington appreciated the networking opportunities.
“It allowed me to learn a little more about other states and different people from around the country,” said Klecha, who will study nuclear engineering this fall at Penn State University.
The students’ success proves the program is worthwhile, Borkowski said.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that they’re going to be the most successful kids in college,” he said. “There’s nothing that’s going to hold them back from being nuclear engineers, pharmacists, professionals, teachers.”
Next year’s study materials for the competition will be shipped this spring, and students are already setting personal goals, he said.
“It’s amazing to see these kids who think learning is fun, and they’re also so excited about that challenge,” Borkowski said. “To see that, that’s what makes it so rewarding for me.”
The enthusiasm is contagious, he added.
About 30 students participated this year before the team was narrowed to the top nine, and Borkowski expects 30 to 50 students to sign up for next year.
“We have so many new kids coming in next year and so many kids returning,” he said. “It’s going to be so competitive for Moniteau.”
