On Saturday, February 2, more than 400 high school students will compete before enthusiastic and screaming fans in one of the region’s premier academic showcases: the 2019 Sacramento County Academic Decathlon. Many of the students participating feared they’d never have the chance to compete this year.
Butte County continues recovering from the devastating Camp Fire, yet their decathletes wanted to compete. The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) invited Butte County high schools to join the competition: Paradise, Las Plumas, Oroville, and Inspire School of Arts & Science. "These students deserve the opportunity to represent their schools in a really fun academic competition," said Sacramento county office of education communications director Tim Herrera. "We wanted them to have that opportunity so we were happy to invite them to join us," Herrera said.
In addition, three Placer County high schools are participating. Herrera says it's not cost effective for Placer county to hold their own competition so they are invited to the Sacramento event each year.
During a break in the competition, Butte County teachers will receive school supplies donated by Sacramento County educators. “Helping Teachers. Helping Students.” is an Intel sponsored community-based effort involving Sacramento County school districts, nonprofits, cities, businesses and citizens that stages an annual mid-year classroom supply drive. This year, Sacramento County teachers donated their supplies to support their Butte County colleagues.
Decathlon winners will receive scholarships provided by SAFE credit union. SAFE set aside $10,000 in scholarships which will be awarded at a banquet to be held Monday evening in Citrus Heights.
You can find more information about the event here .