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Kelly Misch
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Chardon Local Schools
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Chardon ACADEC Team (l to r) senior Lizzy Rockenberger, juniors Kayla Schneider and Brandon French, senior Joey Grano, freshman Bryce Gajda, senior Colin Youdath, juniors Lucas Gajda and Danny Greene, freshmen Jack Bennett and Gus Schneider, and sophomore Toby Rogers; and Coach Al Herner
Academic Decathlon Rockets to State Qualification
Team is 2024 Large School Division Regional Champion with 36 Individual Medals
February 10, 2024 — With a multi-decade history of success that includes countless years of high performance at the state-level of competition, Chardon High School's Academic Decathlon team continues to make Chardon proud — most recently in being named a 2024 state qualifier following stellar performance this month at regionals.
ACADEC is a multi-faceted, premier academic competition through which all Portrait of a Hilltopper traits — Communication, Continuous Learning, Critical Thinking, Commitment, Collaboration and Contribution, and Creativity — are at play in the team's journey towards skills growth and high achievement.
Delving into the Feb. 3 regional competition experience, Chardon's long-running ACADEC Coach Al Herner shared, “Our 11-member team stormed Riverside High School to take on the live events of regional competition. Having completed seven objective tests and written an essay online last month, ACADEC Hilltoppers were now facing the Speech, Interview and Superquiz events. By the time the dust of ACADEC regional competition had settled, Chardon had garnered 36 individual medals — 8 bronze, 16 silver and 12 gold — on their way to being crowned champions of the Large School Division.”
Congratulations to Coach Herner for his exceptional leadership and to the team members for their incredible success:
- seniors Joey Grano, Lizzy Rockenberger, Colin Youdath
- juniors Brandon French, Lucas Gajda, Danny Greene, Kayla Schneider
- sophomore Toby Rogers
- freshmen Jack Bennett, Bryce Gajda, Gus Schneider
Of the 36 individual medals earned, eight - of which five are gold - were earned by senior Joey Grano.
Also of noteworthy mention, more than half the team’s members are also Hilltopper swimmers who had to perform their speeches and participate in Interview in the morning of the regional competition before making waves for Beachwood at a noon swim meet.
Due to this dual commitment, those six team members weren't able to stay for the ACADEC awards ceremony, but Coach Herner ensured their earned medals were in safe-keeping (photo below) for distribution the following Monday at school.
Next up, Chardon ACADEC 2024 travels to John Carroll University March 8-9 for the state arena of competition. Day one will comprise objective testing, and live competition launches on day two.
Special shoutout to Chardon Transportation bus driver Mrs. Mollie Graham for her commitment in busing the team to their regional champion success and safely returning them home on Feb. 3.
Go Hilltoppers!
About ACADEC
CHS offers ACADEC to Grades 9-12 as a one-credit humanities course in which students can enroll annually as the course covers a different scholastic curricular theme each school year as identified by the United States Academic Decathlon organization.
The 2023-24 theme is Technology and Humanity with concentrated elements of study in the areas of social studies, economics, science, language arts, music, art and mathematics. Through rigorous study and competition, team members also strengthen their skills in writing, public speaking and interviewing. Learn more about USAD at usad.org
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