Saturday, January 27, was the culmination of the El Dorado County Academic Decathlon, showcasing the talent of local high school students in a variety of disciplines. Oak Ridge High School emerged as the victor, securing a spot in the upcoming state competition scheduled for March.
The regional competition featured intense showdowns between El Dorado, Ponderosa, Union Mine, and Oak Ridge high schools. The day was not only a test of academic excellence but also marked a significant paradigm shift for the event. To include all students who wanted to compete, the distinction of “alternate” decathletes was eliminated this year, allowing every student to participate in all ten events and be eligible for individual medals. This change was made possible by a substantial increase in volunteers who dedicated their time to make the event a success. The following organizations helped to recruit volunteers; the Rotary Club of Placerville, Hands4Hope, El Dorado Union High School District (EDUHSD) Board of Trustees, El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE), Ag in the Classroom, Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil’s Office, and the California Retired Teachers Association.
Dr. Ed Manansala, County Superintendent of Schools, expressed gratitude, stating, “We are privileged to reside in a community dedicated to the well-being, potential, and success of our students. Numerous individuals have generously volunteered their time and effort to facilitate this endeavor. I extend my appreciation to the EDCOE and EDUHSD team members, as well as the coaches and volunteers involved.”
Amid the heated competition, Oak Ridge High School’s team, led by coach Jeff Hassian, claimed victory not only in the overall school standing but also in the Super Quiz Relay. “Our students’ dedication and hard work have truly paid off. This win isn’t just about medals; it’s a testament to their commitment to excellence and the spirit of teamwork. I’m incredibly proud of each one of them.” shared Hassian, expressing his pride in the team’s accomplishments.
The theme of this year’s Academic Decathlon, “Technology & Humanity,” has been a focal point of study for decathletes since the summer. Coaches, including David Conrad for El Dorado, Joseph Beatty for Ponderosa, Stephanie Luther for Union Mine, and Jeff Hassian for Oak Ridge, navigated the challenge of preparing students alongside their regular teaching duties.
On the competition day, the community came together, with many volunteers, presenters, and each school leaders in attendance. This competition is administered annually by the El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE) and promotes academic excellence and social-emotional benefits to team members. The Kiwanis Club of Placerville provided a hearty hamburger lunch, and all attendees were left impressed by the dedication and knowledge displayed by the decathletes.
Winners included:
Social Science
VARSITY
Bronze – Tie: Landen Cartinella (Ponderosa), Cherian George (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Tie: Kaitlyn Reed (Union Mine), Peyton Oxford (Ponderosa)
Gold – Shivani Padiyar (Oak Ridge)
SCHOLASTIC
Bronze – 3 Way Tie Kathryn Sarlatte (El Dorado), Ria Sahota (Oak Ridge), Chantilly Lamson (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Lyssa Hartley (Union Mine)
Gold – Brody Blumberg (Union Mine)
HONORS
Bronze – Sophia Sumimoto (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Katie Fichtner (Ponderosa)
Gold – Ethan Pham (Oak Ridge)
Science
VARSITY
Bronze – Kaitlyn Reed (Union Mine)
Silver – Chase Tobey (Ponderosa)
Gold – Moniicaa Kishore Kumar (Oak Ridge
SCHOLASTIC
Bronze – Kathryn Sarlatte (El Dorado)
Silver – Tie: Kaushik Seela (Oak Ridge) Jagger Edmundson (Ponderosa)
Gold – Natalie Stephens (Ponderosa)
HONORS
Bronze – Tie: Ethan Pham (Oak Ridge), Ariana Thakur (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Erin Levinson (El Dorado)
Gold – Katie Fichtner (Ponderosa)
Math
VARSITY
Bronze – Cherian George (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Landen Cartinella (Ponderosa)
Gold – Tie: Tarika Kahlon (Oak Ridge), Shivani Padiyar (Oak Ridge)
SCHOLASTIC
Bronze – Kathryn Sarlatte (El Dorado)
Silver – Brody Blumberg (Union Mine)
Gold – Keith Tacata (Oak Ridge)
HONORS
Bronze – Jingyao Zhang (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Ethan Pham (Oak Ridge)
Gold – Andrew Ni (Oak Ridge)
Music
VARSITY
Bronze – Moniicaa Kishore Kumar (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Landen Cartinella (Ponderosa)
Gold – Kaitlyn Reed (Union Mine)
SCHOLASTIC
Bronze – 3 Way Tie: Chantilly Lamson (Oak Ridge), Lyssa Hartley (Union Mine), Jagger Edmundson (Ponderosa)
Silver – Tie: Kaushik Seela (Oak Ridge), Kathryn Sarlatte (El Dorado)
Gold – Brody Blumberg (Union Mine)
HONORS
Bronze – Ethan Pham (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Ariana Thakur (Oak Ridge)
Gold – Erin Levinson (El Dorado)
Economics
VARSITY
Bronze – Rachael Kucera (Ponderosa)
Silver – Shivani Padiyar (Oak Ridge)
Gold – Tarika Kahlon (Oak Ridge)
SCHOLASTIC
Bronze – 4 Way Tie: Cheyenne Hughes (Union Mine), Lyssa Hartley (Union Mine), Chantilly Lamson (Oak Ridge), Kathryn Sarlatte (El Dorado)
Silver – Jagger Edmundson (Ponderosa)
Gold – Tie: Brody Blumberg (Union Mine), Keith Tacata (Oak Ridge)
HONORS
Bronze – Jingyao Zhang (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Katie Fichtner (Ponderosa)
Gold – Ethan Pham (Oak Ridge)
Literature
VARSITY
Bronze – Cherian George (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Landen Cartinella (Ponderosa)
Gold – Kaitlyn Reed (Union Mine)
SCHOLASTIC
Bronze – Jagger Edmundson (Ponderosa)
Silver – Tie: Lyssa Hartley (Union Mine), Brody Blumberg (Union Mine)
Gold – Kathryn Sarlatte (El Dorado)
HONORS
Bronze – Erin Levinson (El Dorado)
Silver – Jingyao Zhang (Oak Ridge)
Gold – Ethan Pham (Oak Ridge)
Art
VARSITY
Bronze – Tie: Tarika Kahlon (Oak Ridge), Kaitlyn Reed (Union Mine)
Silver – Cherian George (Oak Ridge)
Gold – Shivani Padiyar (Oak Ridge)
SCHOLASTIC
Bronze – Natalie Stephens (Ponderosa)
Silver – 3 Way Tie: Chantilly Lamson (Oak Ridge), Ria Sahota (Oak Ridge), Lyssa Hartley (Union Mine)
Gold – Kathryn Sarlatte (El Dorado)
HONORS
Bronze – Ethan Pham (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Erin Levinson (El Dorado)
Gold – Katie Fichtner (Ponderosa)
Interview
VARSITY
Bronze – Moniicaa Kishore Kumar (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Shivani Padiyar (Oak Ridge), Peyton Oxford (Ponderosa)
Gold – Tarika Kahlon (Oak Ridge)
SCHOLASTIC
Bronze – Tie: Jagger Edmundson (Ponderosa), Emery Smith (Union Mine)
Silver – 3 Way Tie: Chantilly Lamson (Oak Ridge), Keith Tacata (Oak Ridge), Natalie Stephens (Ponderosa)
Gold – Sage Kerr (El Dorado)
HONORS
Bronze – Sophia Sumimoto (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Ariana Thakur (Oak Ridge)
Gold – Rehat Saini (Oak Ridge)
Speech
VARSITY
Bronze – Rachael Kucera (Ponderosa)
Silver – Moniicaa Kishore Kumar (Oak Ridge)
Gold – Tarika Kahlon (Oak Ridge)
SCHOLASTIC
Bronze – Tie: Kaushik Seela (Oak Ridge), Kathryn Sarlatte (El Dorado)
Silver – Chantilly Lamson (Oak Ridge)
Gold – Ria Sahota (Oak Ridge)
HONORS
Bronze – Amit Jaikumar (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Sudeep Mazumder (Oak Ridge)
Gold – 3 Way Tie: Summaya Zareen (Oak Ridge), Emily Eppard (Oak Ridge), Ethan Pham (Oak Ridge)
Essay
VARSITY
Bronze – Cherian George (Oak Ridge)
Silver – Tarika Kahlon (Oak Ridge)
Gold – Rachael Kucera (Ponderosa)
SCHOLASTIC
Bronze – Jagger Edmundson (Ponderosa), Brody Blumberg (Union Mine)
Silver – Ria Sahota (Oak Ridge)
Gold – Chantilly Lamson (Oak Ridge)
HONORS
Bronze – Erin Levinson (El Dorado)
Silver – Andrew Ni (Oak Ridge)
Gold – Nithya Ponnada (Oak Ridge)
Overall Scores
INDIVIDUAL
Third – Erin Levinson (El Dorado)
Second – Katie Fichtner (Ponderosa)
First – Ethan Pham (Oak Ridge)
TEAM
2024 Super Quiz – Oak Ridge
2024 El Dorado County Academic Decathlon Winner – Oak Ridge
Oak Ridge High School Academic Decathlon Team
Analiyah Alejo Tacia, Colette Callahan, Adrian Cisneros, Emily Eppard, Cherian George, Charles Henderson, Amit Jaikumar, Tarika Kahlon, Paige Kauffman, Moniicaa Kishore Kumar, Chantilly Lamson, Sudeep Mazumder, Andrew Ni, Connor O’Brian, Laura Osorio, Shivani Padiyar, Aaryan Patil, Ethan Pham, Nithya Ponnada, Ria Sahota, Rehat Saini, Kaushik Seela, Yannis Smith, Isaias Smith, Sophia Sumimoto, Keith Tacata, Ariana Thakur, Summaya Zareen and Jingyao Zhang
El Dorado High School Academic Decathlon Team
Tyler Buszkiewicz, Aracely Garcia, Sage Kerr, Erin Levinson, Kathryn Sarlatte and Kayleigh Stanton
Ponderosa High School Academic Decathlon Team
Kalyssa Alexander, Landen Cartinella, Jagger Edmundson, Kathryn Fichtner, Natalie Jaussaud, Rachael Kucera, Ian Lindsay, Nathan Ong, Peyton Oxford, Emily Pokorny, Craig Elijae Soriano, Chase Tobey, Kalen Wylie and Jacob Wylie
Union Mine High School Academic Decathlon Team
Raquel Beas-Gonzalez, Brody Blumberg, Alyssa Cason, Lyssa Hartley, Cheyenne Hughes, Kaitlyn Reed, Emery Smith, James Spencer-Logue, David Warden and Jillian Wolford
