Some of the testing has already been completed but the Oakdale High School Academic Decathlon team will be back in action this weekend, traveling to Johansen High School in Modesto for the 45th annual Stanislaus County Academic Decathlon.

Put on through the Stanislaus County Office of Education, this year’s overall topic is Climate Change. Oakdale is the three-time defending Stanislaus County champion and is eager to put together another solid effort for 2025. They will compete on Saturday, Jan. 25.

There are 10 specific events as part of the competition: Speech, Essay, Interview, Literature, Math, Social Science, Economics, Music, Art, and Science.

Longtime OHS AcaDec Coach Dee Hawksworth said members of her competing team this year include: Honors, senior Joseph Yakligian, freshman Brenna Franca, junior Iyska Rangel; Scholastic, senior Daniella Guido, junior Cristian Cornejo Plascencia, senior Nadiah Longoria Gonzalez; Varsity, senior Evelyn Acker, freshman Jason Romayor, freshman Perla Esquivel Plascencia.

Honors category participants have a GPA of 3.80 to 4.00; Scholastic, 3.20 to 3.79; and Varsity, 3.19 and below.

“We have a nice mix of returning competing team members and rookies. We also have 20 alternates, which is great. Hopefully we will bring home lots of medals,” Hawksworth said. “We are doing online testing on the morning of January 25 and then Super Quiz and Awards that afternoon at Johansen High, starting at 1:30 p.m.”

The Super Quiz Relay, the final event, features questions from all of the AcaDec subject matters and is open to the public.

The OHS team did essays in December, then completed the speech and interview portion of the competition on Jan. 16, said Hawksworth.

“The kids have been working hard in class and at after school practice. I feel pretty good about our chances,” the coach said.