West Genny Academic Decathlon team earns numerous medals
The Academic Decathlon was held at Westhill High School on Jan. 21 with competitors from Cazenovia, Liverpool, Tully, Westhill, and West Genesee high schools.
The team from West Genesee High School came in second overall with a total of 21 medals. Tully High School came in first and Westhill High School came in third. Those top three teams will advance to the state competition at SUNY Brockport to be held on Feb. 24-25.
The Decathlon, coordinated by the New York State Director for the United States Academic Decathlon, is an academic competition among high schools in Section III. Since it began as a local academic competition in California in 1968, the U.S. Academic Decathlon has grown to become an international event.
Our team starters and alternates, pictured at right, from left to right, are Aislinn Guy, James Sandefur, Kasey Knox, Cameron Mitchell, Jasmine Hamilton, Tyler Troch-Stirpe, coach Kevin Misiano, Dylan Casolare, Madyson Kelly and Hannah Jewell. Team starters and alternates not pictured are Will Cody, Mia Pienkowski, Isabella Atanasova, Hannah Jasinski, Dillon Murphy and Benjamin Bosak.
Individual medals were awarded for the highest scores on six objective written tests in music, art, language and literature, science, mathematics, and economics.
James Sandefur (5): 2 Gold – Economics and Social Science; 2 Silver – Science, Mathematics; 1 Bronze – Language
Jasmine Hamilton (5): 5 Silver – Economics, Art, Social Science, Music, and Language
Dylan Casolare (3): 1 Gold – Science; 1 Silver – Economics; 1 Bronze – Mathematics
Aislin Guy (2): 1 Silver – Music; 1 Bronze – Language
Kasey Knox (1): 1 Gold – Mathematics
Cameron Mitchell (1): 1 Gold – Mathematics
Hannah Jewell (1): 1 Silver – Music
Mia Pienkowski (1): 1 Alternate – Music
In addition to a silver medal overall, the team also received a gold medal for the Super Quiz this year.
Their coach, Kevin Misiano, is a WGHS Mathematics teacher, who has been meeting with the team since the fall to prepare for the Decathlon.
A school’s team is composed of three “A” students (honor level), three “B” students (scholastic level), and three “C” students (varsity level). All take the same academic tests, but trophies are given for the top three individual scores in each level.
