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USAD

 * Dr. Robert Peterson
 * USAD National Winners
 * Article per year?
 * List of topics
 * USAD template

Participation
1968 - 103 -

1985–86 Season - 24,000 -

1986–87 Season - 40,000 - link

1988–89 Season - 27,000 (3,000 schools) - link

1989–90 Season - 20,000 - link

1990–91 Season - 35,000 (3,500 schools) -

1991–92 Season - 30,000 (3,500 schools)-

1992–93 Season - (3,000 schools) -

1996–97 Season - 35,000 (2,200 schools) - link

1998–99 Season - 35,000 (2,500 schools) - link

Nationals
1985–86 Season - 41 states - 1988–89 Season - 37 states, 2 countries - link

1989–90 Season - 39 states and D.C. - link

1990–91 Season - 44 states and D.C. -

1991–92 Season - 47 states and D.C. -

1992–93 Season - 43 states and D.C. -

Criticism
Coaches Raise Academic Decathlon Concerns; Education: Simi, Moorpark team leaders may quit, saying study guides are costly, riddled with errors and promote rote memorization.

Third Party
USAD even strongly urged students to ignore these companies and stated that the materials they produce is a "waste of money" and "superfluous".

All the resources you and your students need - the OFFICIAL MATERIALS OF THE ACADEMIC DECATHLON - are contained in these pages. Curriculum specialists and U.S.A.D. test writers develop our materials. You won't find better quality or more focused materials anywhere else.

Content
Question examples: http://web.archive.org/web/19980518051241/usad.org/sq.html

History Information
As its names implies, the Academic Decathlon consists of ten events -- Conversation Skills, Essay Writing, Formal Speech, Career Education & Career Awareness, English and Literature, Fine Arts, Mathematics, Physical and Biological Sciences, and Social Sciences, and the "glamour" event, the Super Quiz. In 1982 this event is going beyond a statewide basis, with some 20 states participating. USAD is already hard at work on the 1982-83 program, seeking to expand to include participation by every state in the nation.

The United States Academic Decathlon, held last year in California's Orange County and sponsored by the United States Academic Decathlon Association, drew players from 32 states, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and South Korea. -- We're kind of getting to be like the Rose Bowl, where people clamor to get involved, said Robert Peterson, founder of the United States Academic Decathlon. As its name suggests, the decathlon consists of 10 events: written tests, an interview, speeches and a grand finale Super Quiz held in a gym before a cheering crowd. Dr. Peterson, superintendent of California's Orange County school district, developed the decathlon as a local event in 1968. It became national in 1980. Business and professional people take part, serving as judges for the speech and interview events. Parents come to root for their kids. The University of Southern California offers scholarships to winners, and corporations offer financial support. Corporate response to academic competitions has been generally enthusiastic. William J. Burghardt, director of public relations and advertising for World Book Inc., which last year published and distributed more than 30,000 copies of a 24-page decathlon study guide, said, We look at the decathlon as a new way of learning and a new way of teaching kids. World Book sponsors a toll-free number that teachers can call for information about the competition and it authenticates the decathlon questions. Critics say that some competitions focus too much on fact-mongering, as one educator put it, and not enough on independent, in-depth thinking. There is also concern that the competitions take up too much time. The National Association of Secondary School Principals, which publishes an annual list of contests and activities, does not endorse national contests that require team competition at a common site.'We do discourage national competitions of all kinds,'' said Scott D. Thomson, executive director of the association. They draw too much of the students' time and attention away from their regular schoolwork, But he added that the association did not object to the competitions themselves. We're opposed to the national dimension of it, Mr. Thomson said, not the academic competition dimension of it.

Daily News of Los Angeles (CA) TAFT ACADEMIC DECATHLETES CELEBRATE WIN December 2, 1993 Section: News Edition: Valley Page: N3 Carmen Ramos Chandler Daily News Staff Writer Illustration: Photo

Sheldon Peregino got to school early Wednesday with only one thought on his mind - honoring the Taft High School Academic Decathlon team for its second straight city title.

Figuring it was too soon for the school to prepare a formal celebration, the 18-year-old student and decathlete hung celebratory balloons and streamers in coach Arthur Berchin's classroom. "After all," he said quietly, "we did win."

Win. The nine-member team shattered records - tallying the highest score in the 13-year history of the citywide contest, according to results announced late Tuesday at an awards banquet at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel downtown.

Taft's team earned 50,515 points out of a possible 60,000 during the competition last month at Loyola Marymount University in Westchester, with team members Daniel Berdichevsky, 17, and Andrew Salter, 17, breaking the 9,000 individual point total barrier.

Berdichevsky was named the competition's overall winner, scoring 9,297 points out of 10,000, while Salter followed closely with 9,026 points.

Although there was no official ceremony at Taft, the team's accomplishments were acknowledged by teachers and students who stopped competitors in hallways and classrooms to offer kudos.

Vice principal Carol Trescott said a special luncheon is set next Wednesday to honor students and their parents.

The victory was sweet, team members agreed. But with the state competition in March and a possible national competition in April, decathletes said they aren't letting it go to their heads.

"We've tasted victory," team philosopher Berdichevsky said. "But we can't lose our taste for it, we still have a lot ahead of us."

"Like a lot of studying," 16-year-old Kimberly Shapiro added.

Stephen Shaw, 16, has tried to warn his teammates about what to expect. His brother, Robert, was part of the team last school year that took second in the national finals and was invited to the White House to celebrate.

Robert Shaw and other members of that team have offered to help out this year's competitors whenever they can.

Stephen Shaw, who has been nicknamed "Coach" by his teammates for the knowledgeable guidance he offers, said his brother even turned out at last month's competition.

"We learn a lot from them," Shaw said. "But we're also our own team, and we have a lot to do on our own."

The Academic Decathlon tests students on their knowledge on six academic disciplines: social studies, science, economics, the arts, language and literature and mathematics.

In addition, students are required to submit a written essay, undergo an interview as well as deliver both prepared and impromptu speeches.

Taft has won the city title four times in the past seven years.

Caption:

PHOTO: Taft academic decathletes celebrate their victory Wednesday. In front row from left are Stephen Shaw, Rebecca Rissman, Kimberly Shapiro and Chris Huie. In back row are Sheldon Peregino, Daniel Berdichevsky, Arthur Berchin, team coach; Michael Michrowski and Andrew Salter. Team member Sage Vaughn is not pictured.

Kim Kulish/Daily News

All content © 1993- Daily News of Los Angeles (CA) and may not be republished without permission.

Cheating
Need to find a source for this:
 * The Super Quiz Relay takes place on a stage in front of an audience, and as such easily lends itself to cheating. In order to prevent this, USAD officials have asked that competition venues either have students sit with their backs to the crowd or position lighting in such a way that students cannot see the crowd.

Dr. Robert Peterson

 * 1) http://articles.latimes.com/2003/jun/07/local/me-peterson7