Academic Decathlon
Oldenburg wins state AcaDeca again; team takes second
Clare Oldenburg won this year’s state AcaDeca individual championship, making her the first Nebraskan to win the title twice in a row! The Pius X team finished as state runners-up!
Oldenburg, a senior, earned a perfect score and gold in the Music category, and won gold in Art History, Science, and Interview; silver in Language & Literature; and bronze in Economics.
Joining Oldenburg in the Honor Students category, Kevin Pynes won a gold (Language & Literature), a silver and two bronze medals, and Kolbe Villa won two silvers and two bronze.
In Scholastic, Ziyal McArthur won a gold in Language & Literature) and three silvers, Clare Clark won a silver, and Will Kee won gold in Interview. In Varsity, Mac Boatman won four golds (Art History, Language & Literature, Music, and Economics) and a bronze; Abby Reese won a gold (Speech) and a silver, and Joe Seeman won a bronze.
The entire season was conducted virtually.
Academic Decathlon is an accelerated and intensive year-long course of study in science, social studies, math, English (literature, critical reading, and writing), art, music, speech and economics. A new theme focuses the study each year, so a student may take this course more than once. Students are encouraged to participate in at least one scrimmage the first semester. A select group of twelve students will compete in Regional, and if successful, State, and possibly National Competitions. Because students in Academic Decathlon must come from three academic levels (A, B, and C or below) as determined by selected portions of their GPA, students of varying ability and grade will be in class together. Grading standards for this course are adjusted for grade and ability. Summer reading is encouraged.
Pius X Academic Decathlon Coaching Staff
- Ann Kotopka – Head coach / Art, Language & Literature, Speech, Interview / 1987 Pius graduate
- Grace Raun – Assistant coach – Social Science, Economics, and Science / 2009 Pius graduate
- Jean Timmerman – Music / 1988 Pius graduate
Pius X wins 2020 State AcaDeca Championship
Pius X won the State Championship in the Academic Decathlon, the school’s second straight title. The state event was held Friday and Saturday at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Read more
2018-19 team finishes 6th at nationals
Pius X High School’s Academic Decathlon team represented the state of Nebraska at the National Competition in Minneapolis April 25-April 27. The team placed 6th nationally and brought home 10 individual medals in the fields of Art History, Essay, Science, Music, Literature, and Math. Congratulations to their coaches Ann Kotopka and Alex Hain and to the competitors Isaac Kramer, Thomas Kotopka, Kolbe Villa, Wally Langdon, Brandon Birch, John Michael Hewitt, Kellen Knotwell, and Logan Uttecht.
2019 State AcaDeca Photo Gallery
AcaDeca hosts positive events for younger students
Academic Decathlon hosted two events for 5th-8th graders this August to help fund their fall trip to San Francisco. Students played all kinds of games including Ultimate Tag, Mafia, Texas Hold ‘Em, Knockout, watched an outdoor movie, learned line dances, and just had fun hanging out with friends.
