Aca-Deca is a different type of competition

Every school offers some sort of competition. It could be academic, such as in challenging classes, or athletic, as the sports teams try to beat everybody else for a chance at the gold.

The Wheatland Pirates love to get into the spirit of a challenge with events like the homecoming football game or the court-warming basketball face-off. It's always great to be part of the blue-and-white bunch, whether you're cheering from the sidelines or one of the contenders. But while some students live for the adrenaline rush of fast-paced games, there's an alternative for those who favor brain over brawn.

Every year, Wheatland Union High School takes part in a tri-school competition called the Academic Decathlon. For those who haven't heard of it, it's pretty simple: Nine students from each school get divided into three different teams and study a variety of specific subjects, usually revolving around a certain event or culture.

The studying and dedication that it is involved in preparing for Aca-Deca, however, is not so simple. The county qualifier for state was Feb. 6, and each team did its best in the different categories, including speech, essay and the Super Quiz. It may seem like a strange way to spend a Saturday, but for those involved, it made for a good time.

Michelle Rosas, a senior, said, "It was a great way to end my senior year." As she could tell you, the test taking and trivia questions were just a small part of what being part of the club was all about.

Members got a lot of great snacks at lunchtime and a free dinner out of the whole thing, too — not to mention an excuse to get dressed up. (Because everybody's looking for one of those, right?) Ask anyone who joined and they'll say that they're glad they did it.

As for Mrs. Nielsen, the coach and support for everyone who was brave enough to be a representative for WUHS, she says her favorite part of the whole thing was being there for the students. "I don't want to have excessive expectations," she said. It's about the fun and the experience."

For anyone who's interested in being a part of the next team and learning something new, they should know that the club isn't only limited to sky-high GPAs. The more diverse the team, the better, and the more likely there will be one person good at each subject.

Every person going to our school has plenty of activities to choose from. Sometimes it's hard to know exactly what you're good at and what you really enjoy. Aca-Deca is the perfect club to exercise your competitive muscles, and you don't even have to be brilliant: You just have do your best.

Meghan Lasswell is a junior at Wheatland Union High School. Her column appears about every sixth week in Education.