While many classes include UIL competitions tied to coursework, one stands out as solely focused on academic competition: the Academic Decathlon (AcDec).

Academic Decathlon consists of three teams—honors, varsity, and scholastic—where students are placed according to their GPA. Unlike traditional classes that focus on specific subjects, AcDec covers a broad spectrum of academic topics.

“Academic Decathlon has ten different topics, most of which are things you study in school like science and social studies and art and music,” AcDec Head Coach Tim Johannes said. “Some of the [topics] are ones you don’t do as much in school like giving a speech, a prepared speech. You also give an interview and write an essay. So there’s ten different topics and each one has its own little packet of information that you have to kind of study.”

The structure of the class allows for flexibility, and, according to senior Riley Cleaves, gives students significant control over their learning process.

“AcDec is a lot different than a normal class because we’re given one topic at a time where we can study and learn at our own pace in whichever way is best for us,” Cleaves said. “And then, we’re assessed on it at the very end of the unit, not throughout.”