Plano ISD High School Decathlon Teams Shine in Regional Competitions
January 29, 2024
The academic achievements of Plano Independent School District were prominently on display as the Academic Decathlon teams from Plano East, Plano West, and Plano Senior High Schools delivered outstanding performances at their respective Regional Competitions.
Plano East Academic Decathlon Team Excels at Region 10 Competition:
The Plano East Academic Decathlon team demonstrated exceptional knowledge and skill during the Region 10 competition held last Friday and Saturday. The team secured a remarkable third place overall, earning a well-deserved spot in the upcoming state competition in San Antonio.
In addition to their overall achievement, Plano East claimed second place in the challenging Super Quiz event. Expressing gratitude, the team acknowledged Mr. Eppler for his role in the region management team, ensuring the smooth execution of the competition. Special thanks were extended to Kevin Moore for attending the awards ceremony and distributing medals. Recognition was also given to Mr. Grissom for judging speeches, Ms. Alvarez Thurman for judging interviews, and Ms. Porter for grading essays.
This year's Academic Decathlon theme, "Technology and Humanity," provided a thought-provoking backdrop to the competition. Plano East is gearing up for the state competition scheduled to take place in San Antonio on February 23 and 24.
The following students from Plano East were instrumental in securing the team's success:
Honors Division (Ac Dec calculated GPA of 3.80-4.00):
- Vishjit Chandramohan: 4th place overall, 4th in Music, 5th in Economics, 3rd in Science, 4th in Art, 4th in Social Science
- Elgin Tawiah: 3rd in Mathematics, 2nd in Science, 4th in Art
- Aayesha Ashan: Contributed to the overall 3rd place team finish
Scholastic Division (Ac Dec calculated GPA of 3.20-3.799):
- Derek Kouch: 2nd place overall, 1st in Music, 5th in Economics, 1st in Science, 1st in Art, 3rd in Social Science, 1st in Essay
- Sumer Raj: 5th place overall, 3rd in Music, 2nd in Science, 2nd in Art, 3rd in Social Science, 2nd in Language and Literature, 3rd in Speech
- Aadi Anbumani: 4th in Music, 4th in Economics, 3rd in Science, 4th in Social Science
Varsity Division (Ac Dec calculated GPA of 0.00-3.199):
- Anirudh Garlapad: 3rd place overall, 4th in Music, 4th in Economics, 2nd in Science, 2nd in Art, 5th in Language and Literature, 1st in Essay
- Hunter Lindley: 5th in Economics, 5th in Science, 5th in Art, 2nd in Social Science
- Sameer Gonchigar: 3rd in Music, 3rd in Economics, 3rd in Science, 5th in Art, 4th in Social Science
Plano East Senior High School Academic Decathlon Team
Plano West Academic Decathlon Team Claims 6th Place in Regionals:
Simultaneously, the Plano West Academic Decathlon team made its mark at the Regional Competition at Lake Highlands High School on January 26-27. The team secured an impressive 6th place out of 18 teams, earning the opportunity to advance to the Frisco State Competition scheduled for February.
Coaches Kelly Brennan and Julie De Sousa invite the Plano ISD community to congratulate the following students:
Honors Division:
- KJ Ludwig: 3rd place in math
- Sydney Walker: 2nd place in essay, 1st place in speech
- Frank Xu: 1st place in math (perfect score!), 4th place in science
Scholastic Division:
- Ethan Kim: 5th place in interview
Varsity Division:
- Saiesha Kumar: 3rd place in interview, 2nd place in speech
- Michelle Oboegbulem: 4th place in essay
Honorable Mention:
- Evelyn Hublall, Shravan Narayanan, Rhea Goyal, and Ishayu Mandal
Plano West Senior High School Academic Decathlon team
A special thank you to Plano West Senior High Associate Principal Michael Cruz for his hard work and dedication to Academic Decathlon, particularly in overseeing the Speech program. Special gratitude is also extended to Melissa Wegleitner, David Van Derven, and Linda De Sousa, who served as invaluable judges in ensuring the fair evaluation of the students' efforts.
Plano Senior High School Excels in Multiple Categories:
Adding to the district's success, Plano Senior High School also demonstrated excellence in the Regional Academic Decathlon competition. Notable achievements include:
- Natalie Lei: 5th place in Honors Mathematics
- Abhilasha Patra: 3rd place in Scholastic Essay, 3rd place in Scholastic Interview
- Shreya Gudibande: 1st place in Honors Essay (perfect score of 1000)
- Gina Oakes: 1st place in Scholastic Interview
These accomplishments showcase the commitment to academic excellence of Plano Independent School District. The district congratulates all the students for their hard work, dedication, and success in the Academic Decathlon competitions!