Download & Print
Eight members of the Bandera ISD Academic Decathlon 12-member team compete in Irving.
Courtesy Photo
November 15, 2023
Bandera Academic Decathlon team preparing to put their intellect to the test
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
Next month, nine Bandera ISD students will square up against their peers in a rigorous competition of academic teamwork. Putting preparation, practice, and intellect to the test, the Academic Decathlon is the ultimate meeting of the minds.
The students will compete in 10 categories: art, economics, essay, interview, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, social science and speech. It’s not strictly just about knowledge, Team Captain Ozzie Knowles said. “It’s also about being able to broaden your skill set.”
Currently, the BISD AcDec team has 12 members, nine will advance to competition at three academic levels - honors (with a GPA of 3.8 - 4.9), scholastic (GPA of 3.2 - 3.79), and varsity (GPA of 2.0 - 3.19). Round 1 is scheduled to begin Dec. 9, when teams from eight other schools throughout the state will be hosted by Bandera High School.
Knowles, who has been part of the AcDec team since his freshman year, is the youngest team captain in Bandera’s history, selected last year as a sophomore. In 2022/23, the team placed 4th in state, and 2nd at regionals. Last weekend, eight members competed in Irving, outperforming 21 of 46 teams primarily from larger 5A and 6A schools. Overall, BISD AcDec has claimed five state championships and one national championship.
“We do a wide range of things to prepare,” Knowles said. “We test, and test, and test again. The more we test, the more we can memorize the things we struggle with.”
Every Friday, members deliver an impromptu speech to tackle the natural fear of public speaking.
“Speaking in front of judges is not a lot of people’s forté,” he said. “Even when I feel anxious, I try to act like I’m pretty confident so I don’t rattle anyone else, because I know how scary it is to be in front of all those people.”
This year, the team is co-coached by Sarah Walker, and mentored by Dan Zavorka, who has been the main AcDec coach since 2016. Knowles said Zavorka, a veteran high school teacher, has been instrumental in his academic success.
“He’s definitely opened a lot of doors for me. He’s been super welcoming and with him as our coach, he’s opened a lot of doors for all of us,” Knowles said. “He always finds new ways to make us better.”
The AcDec team holds fundraisers throughout the year to help pay for competitions. To find out more, or to inquire about how to make a donation, email Zavorka at [email protected].
The students will compete in 10 categories: art, economics, essay, interview, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, social science and speech. It’s not strictly just about knowledge, Team Captain Ozzie Knowles said. “It’s also about being able to broaden your skill set.”
Currently, the BISD AcDec team has 12 members, nine will advance to competition at three academic levels - honors (with a GPA of 3.8 - 4.9), scholastic (GPA of 3.2 - 3.79), and varsity (GPA of 2.0 - 3.19). Round 1 is scheduled to begin Dec. 9, when teams from eight other schools throughout the state will be hosted by Bandera High School.
Knowles, who has been part of the AcDec team since his freshman year, is the youngest team captain in Bandera’s history, selected last year as a sophomore. In 2022/23, the team placed 4th in state, and 2nd at regionals. Last weekend, eight members competed in Irving, outperforming 21 of 46 teams primarily from larger 5A and 6A schools. Overall, BISD AcDec has claimed five state championships and one national championship.
“We do a wide range of things to prepare,” Knowles said. “We test, and test, and test again. The more we test, the more we can memorize the things we struggle with.”
Every Friday, members deliver an impromptu speech to tackle the natural fear of public speaking.
“Speaking in front of judges is not a lot of people’s forté,” he said. “Even when I feel anxious, I try to act like I’m pretty confident so I don’t rattle anyone else, because I know how scary it is to be in front of all those people.”
This year, the team is co-coached by Sarah Walker, and mentored by Dan Zavorka, who has been the main AcDec coach since 2016. Knowles said Zavorka, a veteran high school teacher, has been instrumental in his academic success.
“He’s definitely opened a lot of doors for me. He’s been super welcoming and with him as our coach, he’s opened a lot of doors for all of us,” Knowles said. “He always finds new ways to make us better.”
The AcDec team holds fundraisers throughout the year to help pay for competitions. To find out more, or to inquire about how to make a donation, email Zavorka at [email protected].