[Dina Gentry]
On Wednesday, February 9 during the Zoom awards ceremony, Ponderosa High School (PHS) captured the title of winning team for the 2022 El Dorado County Academic Decathlon competition. Students have been studying the theme “Water: A Most Essential Resource” since last summer. They will represent El Dorado County at the state competition in March. Joseph Beatty, PHS coach, expressed, “I am so incredibly proud of this team of brilliant scholars. These exemplary students have put in countless hours of their free time to study and learn – during school, after school, and on the weekends – and I couldn’t be happier that their hard work paid off in a well-deserved victory! Their intelligence, dedication, creativity, and integrity prove that the future is in good hands. Go Bruins!”
Although it could not be done in person this year, the El Dorado County Academic Decathlon Competition continued on virtual platforms. Guest presenters for the ceremony included El Dorado Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Ron Carruth, El Dorado Union High School District Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Chris Moore, El Dorado County’s Chief Administrative Officer Don Ashton, and the Honorable Judge Dylan Sullivan. Students and coaches remained incredibly resilient to continue this strong academic tradition amongst many challenges. Coaches also teach high school at their respective schools and take on this extra challenge each year to support the students. Coaches included Jeff Hassian – Oak Ridge, Joseph Beatty – Ponderosa, David Conrad – El Dorado, and Alyssa Tkach/Lauren Gutierrez – Union Mine.
At the awards ceremony, Dr. Ed Manansala, El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools, noted, “I am proud of the commitment and dedication of the decathletes and their coaches competing here today. I would also like to acknowledge the many EDCOE team members, coaches and community volunteers involved. This is truly a community event celebrating the very best of education in El Dorado County.”
Winners included:
Subject 1: Social Science
Varsity
- Bronze – Tie – Kathryn Sarlatte – El Dorado HS & Matthew Markan – Ponderosa HS
- Silver – Sam Thuesen – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Jillian Hawks – Oak Ridge HS
Scholastic
- Bronze – Three way tie – Joshua Galang – Ponderosa HS, Souradeep Mazumder – Oak Ridge HS & Ava Miller – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver – Tie – Alyssa Seeley – Ponderosa HS & Amelia Warzecha – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Kai Nicita – El Dorado HS
Honors
- Bronze – Tie – Summer Dixon – Oak Ridge HS & Jason Ni – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver – Karan Derebail – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Elise Wu – Oak Ridge HS
Subject 2: Science
Varsity
- Bronze – Lennon Nickels – Ponderosa HS
- Silver – Sam Thuesen – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Jillian Hawks – Oak Ridge HS
Scholastic
- Bronze – Tie – Amelia Warzecha – Ponderosa HS & David Bogle – Union Mine HS
- Silver – Ava Miller – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – Kai Nicita – El Dorado HS
Honors
- Bronze – Saumya Chandra – Oak Ridge
- Silver – Tie – Karan Derebail – Ponderosa HS & Elise Wu – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – William Smith – Oak Ridge HS
Subject 3: Math
Varsity
- Bronze – Emily Roblero Morales – El Dorado HS
- Silver – Tie – Jillian Hawks – Oak Ridge HS & Matthew Markan – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Sam Thuesen – Ponderosa HS
Scholastic
- Bronze – Alyssa Seeley – Ponderosa HS
- Silver – Souradeep Mazumder – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – David Bogle – Union Mine HS
Honors
- Bronze – Elise Wu – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver – William Smith – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – Karan Derebail – Ponderosa HS
Subject 4: Music
Varsity
- Bronze – Tie – Matthew Markan – Ponderosa HS & Lennon Nickels – Ponderosa HS
- Silver – Genevieve Clanin – El Dorado HS
- Gold – Jillian Hawks – Oak Ridge HS
Scholastic
- Bronze – David Bogle – Union Mine HS
- Silver – Elizabeth Bose – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Amelia Warzecha – Ponderosa HS
Honors
- Bronze – William Smith – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver – Saumya Chandra- Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – Elise Wu – Oak Ridge HS
Subject 5: Economics
Varsity
- Bronze – Jillian Hawks – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver – Nishawn Birak – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – Sam Thuesen – Ponderosa HS
Scholastic
- Bronze – Tie – Joshua Galang – Ponderosa HS & Kai Nicita – El Dorado HS
- Silver – Amelia Warzecha – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – David Bogle – Union Mine HS
Honors
- Bronze – Elise Wu – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver – Saumya Chandra – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – Karan Derebail – Ponderosa HS
Subject 6: Literature
Varsity
- Bronze – Tie – Lennon Nickels – Ponderosa HS & Genevieve Clanin – El Dorado HS
- Silver – Sam Thuesen – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Jillian Hawks – Oak Ridge HS
Scholastic
- Bronze – Three way Tie – Ava Miller – Oak Ridge HS, Kai Nicita – El Dorado HS & Alyssa Seeley – Ponderosa HS
- Silver – David Bogle – Union Mine HS
- Gold – Amelia Warzecha – Ponderosa HS
Honors
- Bronze – Kathryn Fichtner – Ponderosa HS
- Silver – Tie – Summaya Zareen – Oak Ridge HS & Elise Wu – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – Karan Derebail – Ponderosa HS
Subject 7: Art
Varsity
- Bronze – Three-way Tie – Sam Thuesen – Ponderosa HS, Hudson Osegueda – Oak Ridge HS & Lexie Ruelas – Union Mine HS
- Silver – Matthew Markan – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Tie – Jillian Hawks – Oak Ridge HS & Kathryn Sarlatte – El Dorado HS
Scholastic
- Bronze – Joshua Galang – Ponderosa HS
- Silver – Tie – Alyssa Seeley – Ponderosa HS & Ava Miller – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – Amelia Warzecha – Ponderosa HS
Honors
- Bronze – Tie – Summer Dixon – Oak Ridge HS & Kathryn Fichtner – Ponderosa HS
- Silver – Karan Derebail – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Elise Wu – Oak Ridge HS
Subject 8: Interview
Varsity
- Bronze – Nishawn Birak – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver – Tie – Sam Thuesen – Ponderosa HS & Jillian Hawks – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – Lennon Nickels – Ponderosa HS
Scholastic
- Bronze – David Bogle – Union Mine HS
- Silver – Alyssa Seeley – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Tie – Amelia Warzecha – Ponderosa HS & Tarek Hjorth – Union Mine HS
Honors
- Bronze – Saumya Chandra – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver – Tie – Shivani Padiyar – Oak Ridge HS & William Smith – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – Jack Reinhart – Union Mine HS
Subject 9: Essay
Varsity
- Bronze – Lennon Nickels – Ponderosa HS
- Silver – Nishawn Birak – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – Genevieve Clanin – El Dorado HS
Scholastic
- Bronze – Souradeep Mazumder – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver – Tarek Hjorth – Union Mine HS
- Gold – Amelia Warzecha – Ponderosa HS
Honors
- Bronze – Karan Derebail – Ponderosa HS
- Silver – Natalie Salter – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Saumya Chandra – Oak Ridge HS
- Top essay for El Dorado County is: Saumya Chandra, Ponderosa High School.
Subject 10: Speech
Varsity
- Bronze – Kathryn Sarlatte – El Dorado HS
- Silver – Sam Thuesen – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Jillian Hawks – Oak Ridge HS
Scholastic
- Bronze – Amelia Warzecha – Ponderosa HS
- Silver – Ava Miller – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold – Alyssa Seeley – Ponderosa HS
Honors
- Bronze – Tie – William Smith – Oak Ridge HS & Summer Dixon – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver – Natalie Salter – Ponderosa HS
- Gold – Kaia Ek – Oak Ridge HS
- The top Speech winner for El Dorado County is Jillian Hawks from Oak Ridge High School.
Awards for Overall Score 8-Event Participant:
- Bronze: Carol Chen – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver: Zini Chakraborty – Oak Ridge HS
- God: Aleena Rafiq – Oak Ridge HS
Award for Highest Scoring 10-Event Alternate Decathlete:
- Bronze: Natalie Salter – Ponderosa HS
- Silver: Kaia Ek – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold: Summer Dixon – Oak Ridge HS
Awards for Individual Highest Scoring Decathletes:
- Bronze: Saumya Chandra – Oak Ridge HS
- Silver: Kaia Ek – Oak Ridge HS
- Gold: Karan Derebail – Ponderosa HS