The Wisconsin Academic Decathlon program is kicking off its 39th season this fall. Given all that we learned during the 2020-2021 season, we are anticipating the 2021-22 season to be the best and biggest in a long time and an excellent way to re-engage struggling high school students of all academic ability levels in a meaningful and competitive way. You can learn all about our program at our redesigned website now located at www.wiacdec.org
The USAD curricular theme this year is Water: A Most Essential Resource. In addition to the traditional competitive events consisting of tests in art, economics, literature, mathematics, music, literature, science, and social science (all levels of competition); Essay, Speech, and Interview events (Regional and State Competition); and the fan-favorite Super Quiz (State Competition), we will be hosting an exciting new event: the Wisconsin C3 Mixer. This is a non-competitive event and will give students of all teams an opportunity to have fun interacting with other teams’ members, other teams’ coaches, and community members with the goal of exploring common College, Career and Community (C3) interests. If you represent a Wisconsin college, business, or community organization and would like to participate in the C3 Mixer at our State Competition, please contact us. Business space will be limited, and you won’t want to miss the opportunity to interact with the brightest minds in Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin C3 Mixer is not the only exciting new development for the Wisconsin Academic Decathlon this year. We also have a brand new opportunity available to all of our WIAD participants to earn money to deposit into their own 529 plans (tax-advantaged savings account for post-high school educational expenses) by talking about their Wisconsin Academic Decathlon experiences in their communities--to their families, friends, and neighbors, and even to their local community organizations and businesses. Want to hear directly from one of these students? Let us know, and we will find one near you.
Check the Teams page of our website to see if your favorite high school is one of the 41 schools already registered for this season. It is not too late for you to add a team in your community. The registration deadline is October 8, 2021. Schools that have not participated before or had a team in recent memory may qualify for a free curriculum (a $700 value) for their first season. Once registered, teams will have an opportunity to compete at the Local Competition on November 9, 2021.
Fifty teams will advance to the Regional Competition held on January 6th and 7th, 2022 to compete for one of twenty spots at the State Competition to be held February 22nd, 24th and 25th. Of the twenty teams, five teams will advance to the prestigious USAD National Competition to be held in Pittsburgh in April.
Those interested in getting involved with the program in any capacity - as a student, volunteer, coach, mixer participant or financial supporter - can find more information about Wisconsin Academic Decathlon at www.wiacdec.org. You can also feel free to contact our State Director, Janelle Bailey, by phone (920)617-5617 or email jbailey@cesa7.org.