"Good grades are not required [to be on AcDec]," Ms. Ashmead said. However, the grades students make the year before they join AcDec are instrumental in deciding which competing rank they are placed in. Participants must be curious, competitive, and willing to learn all kinds of new things.

"There are a ton of packets in the room we use [to study]," senior Kate Kitsumritphol said.

This year’s team competed in the district competition and took first place as a team. They advanced to regionals and placed third. With this victory, they were promoted to a spot in the state competition in San Antonio. The team is striving for the chance to win at state, and they have the study skills to show for it. The high-level material requires a lot of preparation. They study every day in AcDec class, which is fifth period, and sometimes they have meetings outside of school.

"I have never been in AcDec before, or any academic teams, so my mom was pretty proud of me for working hard towards an intellectual activity," senior Ashley Marchand said.

To be on an academic team comprised of 10 subjects, students have to be open to all kinds of subject matters, ranging from songs and music to mathematics and analyzing literature.

"I love learning random things, and AcDec is all random things," Ms. Ashmead said.

Every year, AcDec has a theme for the subjects, and this year it is the Civil War. Team members are studying diseases, music, historical events, and other aspects associated with the Civil War. "Basically, you are learning a bunch of facts that you will be tested on at a later time," senior Josh Flores said.

As the date draws closer, the amount of studying and hard work intensifies. Wish them luck as they compete for the gold in San Antonio.

STATE RESULTS

The following students were honored:

Burke Hall: GOLD in honors speech, BRONZE in honors interview.

Mattia Flabiano: SILVER in honors interview.

Several students scored in the top ten in various events: each student is competing in a field of 75 students with similar GPAs.

Language and Literature:

Burke Hall and Kate Kitsumritphol tied for TENTH in the honors category Ana Olivares was FOURTH in the scholastic category

Math:

Burke Hall was FOURTH in the honors category Mattia Flabiano was EIGHTH in the honors category Claire Lindsey was NINTH in the varsity category

Essay:

Avery Centala scored NINTH in the Scholastic category

Hillcrest AcDec Team

Burke Hall, Kate Kitsumritphol, Mattia Flabiano, Chelsee Cox, Ana Olivares, Avery Centala, Ashley Marchand, and Claire Lindsey!