A blast from the past will represent Tulare County at state Academic Decathlon

When the names of the winning students, coach and school – all from Harmony Magnet Academy – were read, the 2023 Tulare County Academic Decathlon winners were in shock.

This year’s competition – held Saturday (Feb. 4) at the Tulare County Office of Education – was full of firsts for the Strathmore school.

It is each team member’s first year competing.

It is also Kimberly Marsh’s first year as academic decathlon coach.

“I’m over the moon excited for the kids. I’m proud of them. They’ve worked really hard this year,” said Marsh of her first-year competitors.

With a total score of 28,013.9, Harmony Magnet Academy took home the top small school trophy as well as the overall champion trophy winning the rights to represent Tulare County at the state championship in March. .
With a total score of 28,013.9, Harmony Magnet Academy took home the top small school trophy as well as the overall champion trophy winning the rights to represent Tulare County at the state championship in March. .

“Our school has not had a team for several years,” said Marsh. “So, we’re a little bit shocked and very excited and I just couldn’t be prouder of the kids.”

According to Tulare County Office of Education, records show that Harmony Magnet Academy had a few at-large students compete in 2020, but they have not had a full team since 2017.

With a total score of 28,013.9, Harmony Magnet Academy took home the top small school trophy as well as the overall trophy, winning the rights to compete at the state championship in March.

The last time Harmony Magnet Academy represented the county at state was 2014, according to Robert Herman, communications director for TCOE.

With a total score of 28,013.9, Harmony Magnet Academy took home the top small school trophy as well as the overall champion trophy winning the rights to represent Tulare County at the state championship in March. .
With a total score of 28,013.9, Harmony Magnet Academy took home the top small school trophy as well as the overall champion trophy winning the rights to represent Tulare County at the state championship in March. .

Defending champions El Diamante High School took home the top large school trophy with 27,185.4 points.

With only 828.5 points between them, El Diamante coach Mikk Jolly said “I think it was close. But good for them, I mean they did a good job.”

“With Granite Hills (High School) and with Harmony (Magnet Academy), it’s never just easy, they’re always competitive,” Jolly said.

El Diamante also won the Super Quiz portion of the academic decathlon with 3,010 points.

Questions in this year’s Super Quiz topic are related to the national theme, ‘The American Revolution and the New Nation.’

Going into the competition, Jolly said they were “very nervous this year. The other teams look really competitive.”

Jolly said the team had lot of setbacks this year including a lot of people quitting at the last minute, as well as having a lot of people sick and out and missing.

After the Super Quiz portion ended, Jolly said “it’s kind of anyone’s game this year, it really is.”

El Diamante has won five times total with four times in a row.

Five schools competed in two school categories – large school and small school – in 10 scholastic events.

With a total score of 28,013.9, Harmony Magnet Academy took home the top small school trophy as well as the overall champion trophy winning the rights to represent Tulare County at the state championship in March. .
With a total score of 28,013.9, Harmony Magnet Academy took home the top small school trophy as well as the overall champion trophy winning the rights to represent Tulare County at the state championship in March. .

Besides Harmony, Orosi High was included in the small school category.

Competing with El Diamante in the large school category were Golden West High School of Visalia and Granite Hills High School of Porterville.

High schools with at-large competitors (not eligible to advance to the state since they don’t have a full team) included Dinuba High, Tulare Western High, and Woodlake High.

Team members tested their knowledge of subjects including economics, social science, mathematics, music, art, language and literature, and science. Students also presented prepared and impromptu speeches, written essays on given topics, and undergo interviews by a panel of judges.

Marsh said she could tell her students were doing really well in the small school division but didn’t imagine the overall champion trophy was on the table.

“I didn’t think of that as part of our story for this first year together,” Marsh said. “This is something that we didn’t even dare to dream about so this is just, this is amazing for us.”

With a total score of 28,013.9, Harmony Magnet Academy took home the top small school trophy as well as the overall champion trophy winning the rights to represent Tulare County at the state championship in March. .
With a total score of 28,013.9, Harmony Magnet Academy took home the top small school trophy as well as the overall champion trophy winning the rights to represent Tulare County at the state championship in March. .

Harmony senior Arturo Vargas didn’t expect the team would be heading to the state.

“It’s very exciting. I didn’t except this to happen,” said Vargas, who won four medals: second in art, first in literature, third in math and first in science.

Now that her team is heading to the state, Marsh said students will work hard zero period every morning before school starts and go over any of their weaker subjects.

“There’s a lot of curricula, the kids have learned so much during the year, but we really couldn’t master everything so we’re just going to spend some time and see if we can build up some of the areas that we needed more time with,” Marsh said.

Top Scoring Decathletes

Honors Division - Patrick Oliver, El Diamante

Scholastic Division - David Gómez, Granite Hills

Varsity Division - Geovani Tapia, Granite Hills

Top Scoring Decathlete by Event

Literature - Patrick Oliver, El Diamante

Speech - Geovani Tapia, Granite Hills

Music - Alyssandra Oracion, Harmony Magnet Academy

Science - Patrick Oliver, El Diamante

Art - Patrick Oliver, El Diamante

Math - Daniel Ramos and Jay Dillon, both from Harmony Magnet Academy

Economics - Jay Dillon, Harmony Magnet Academy and Patrick Oliver, El Diamante

Social Science - Patrick Oliver, El Diamante

Essay - Diego Corona, Granite Hills

Interview - Derrick Smith and Andrea Andrade, both from Granite Hills

With a total score of 28,013.9, Harmony Magnet Academy took home the top small school trophy as well as the overall champion trophy winning the rights to represent Tulare County at the state championship in March. .
With a total score of 28,013.9, Harmony Magnet Academy took home the top small school trophy as well as the overall champion trophy winning the rights to represent Tulare County at the state championship in March. .