Decathletes Study Great Depression

The theme for academic decathlon this year is the Great Depression. Over the summer the team read “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck to help prepare for the competition, which will be held on Jan. 29. Topics include music, literature, math and art.

The team meets Monday through Thursday during zero block in moderator Mr. Mario Pariante’s room and occasionally gets together after school on Friday. Mr. Pariante assigns topic reading to study on the weekends and discuss during the week.

The team will travel over Thanksgiving break to New York, where they will study historical architecture such as the Chrysler and Empire State buildings and visit several museums.

Seniors on the team are Laura Allen, Olivia Flynn, Charlotte Hook, Kathryn O’Sullivan, Stephanie Ronay, Rachel Saad and Mimi Spindle. Juniors include Jackie Fernandez, Mary Clare Molina and Maya Richard-Craven, while Yasmine Dabbah, Bridget Fitzgerald, Jessie Lorrimer, Elizabeth Rojas, Kate Russell, Elizabeth Togneri, Madeline Togneri and Margaret Tsu are the sophomores on the team.

“I love history, and when I found out the theme was the Great Depression, I had to join,” said first-year decathlon member Fernandez.

Zero period means that it’s hard to concentrate for some, but Spindle recently donated a coffee machine, and occasionally, people bring food.

Even though it meets early, “decathlon is fun and enjoyable and I’ve made many lasting friendships with other decathlon players,” Fernandez said. –Abby Davitt