Academic Pentathlon scheduled for Saturday

More than 330 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students from Merced County schools will get a chance to demonstrate their knowledge and learning skills when they compete in the Academic Pentathlon on Saturday at Golden Valley High School in Merced.

The competition’s main event, the Super Quiz, is open to the public and kicks off at 1 p.m. in the Golden Valley gym, 2121 E. Childs Ave.

Junior high teams have studied for weeks to prepare to compete in five tests to demonstrate their knowledge in literature, math, science, social science and the Super Quiz.

The quiz competition differs from the four written tests, because it is the only part of the event open to the public. The Super Quiz is considered the highlight of the Academic Pentathlon competition. In past years, before a crowd of cheering parents, students and supporters, team members engaged in a battle of wits against one another.

This year’s Super Quiz theme is “Earth Science.” The categories differ by grade level: sixth grade (plate tectonics, Earth’s structure and shaping Earth’s surface), seventh grade (Earth and life history, including evolution) and eighth grade (Earth in the solar system).

Each team is comprised of nine members, three from each division – “Honor,” “Scholastic” and “Varsity” students. The team composition is meant to give students the opportunity to develop skills for working with students of different ability levels, motivations and interests.

The awards ceremony for the competition is planned for 7 p.m. March 12 in the Golden Valley High School gym.

This story was originally published March 1, 2015 at 5:34 PM with the headline "Academic Pentathlon scheduled for Saturday."