Rivergold Elementary wins Academic Pentathlon

(Updated: Friday, May 09, 2008, 5:53 PM)

Ranchos Middle School's seventh grade team and Rivergold Elementary School's eight grade team won the 2008 Academic Pentathlon recently.

More than 300 students participated in this year's five-event academic competition, held on two days. Math and essay tests were held at Madera Center and literature, speech and super quiz were held Saturday at Liberty High School.

Ranchos Middle School won the seventh grade super quiz competition. Coarsegold Elementary School and Wasuma Elementary School tied for second place and Dixieland Elementary School and Rivergold Elementary School tied for third.

Dairyland Elementary School's eighth grade team won first place in the super quiz competition followed by Dixieland Elementary School in second place. Coarsegold Elementary School received third place.

Each event contained a maximum of six students per team. Students were allowed to compete in as many tests as they wished. Teams had been practicing for this event since October.

Saturday's competition began with the speech and literature events. Participants delivered a four-minute prepared speech on a topic of their choice and a two-minute impromptu speech in front a panel of two judges.

Literature students took a test based on the required reading, "The Eagle of the Ninth," by Rosemary Sutcliff. Participants had 30 minutes to answer 50 questions based on the book, a poem and language skills.

The super quiz was conducted immediately following both events. Teams walked into the testing arena to face-off in a series of questions based on "Medieval and Early Modern Times; Mesoamerican and Andean Civilizations."

Each super quiz team consisted of six members answering 15 questions out of 30. The four highest scores were added up to determine the winning team.

The awards ceremony was held immediately following the super quiz and lunch. Certificates were handed out to all participating students.

Seventh grade winners included:

Essay: Jordyn DeChamplain Ranchos Middle Schoo l - Gold

Rachel Williams North Fork Elementary School - Silver

Jessica Gartrell Thomas Jefferson Middle School - Bronze

Literature: Rachel Rushing Ranchos Middle School - Gold

Tyler Palmer Raymond-Knowles Elementary - Silver

Gaston Villanueva Ranchos Middle School - Bronze

Math Brett Hendrickson Coarsegold Elementary School - Gold

Marcus Smith Ranchos Middle School - Gold

Daniel Hooker Rivergold Elementary School - Silver

Justin Hudspeth Dairyland Elementary School - Bronze

Jessica Gartrell Thomas Jefferson Middle School - Bronze

Speech: Annie Erickson Ranchos Middle School - Gold

Chloe Doyle Ranchos Middle School - Silver

Marcos Cisneros Eastin-Arcola Elementary School - Bronze

Eighth grader winners included:

Essay Thalia Holingue Rivergold Elementary School - Gold

Amanda Bausch Rivergold Elementary School - Silver

Mason Black Coarsegold Elementary School - Bronze

Literature: Jennifer Garner North Fork Elementary School - Gold

Mason Black Coarsegold Elementary School - Silver

Ryan Priessman Coarsegold Elementary School - Bronze

Math: Joseph Matsushita Chawanakee Academy - Gold

Mason Black Coarsegold Elementary School - Gold

Kevin Tesei St. Joachim School - Silver

Sara Sinks Dairyland Elementary School - Bronze

Speech: Andrew Brooks Ranchos Middle School - Gold

Bianca Lopez Rivergold Elementary School - Silver

Rachel Oatman Chawanakee Academy - Bronze