High School Students Travel Back a Century for Student Competition Theme

RIVERSIDE – The 1920s America featured a booming economy, a stock market craze, speakeasies fueled by Prohibition, and women seeking equal rights. A century later, this vital time period of history is the basis for the 43^rd Annual Riverside County Academic Decathlon, which begins with a virtual competition on January 14, 2026, and culminates with the in-person Super Quiz and awards ceremony on January 31, 2026.

“Critical thinking, public speaking, writing skills, and learning from history are among the many valuable skills strengthened within every student who participates in Academic Decathlon,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “Collective commitment and collaboration on shared goals not only represent essential college and career readiness traits, but offer lifelong benefits for every future endeavor.”

Riverside County students from 9 high schools are set to compete in the multi-day event organized by the Riverside County Office of Education. Academic Decathlon, like its ancient Greek counterpart, is a 10-event contest. Participants demonstrate their academic strength by completing seven written tests, writing an essay, delivering a prepared and an impromptu speech, and participating in an interview. The Super Quiz is a team event held before a live audience. Each team is composed of nine students, three from each grade point category, and includes three Honor (GPA 3.80 - 4.00), three Scholastic (GPA 3.20 - 3.799), and three Varsity (GPA 0.00 - 3.199) students.

On the first day of this year’s competition, Wednesday, January 14, students will participate in essay writing. On Saturday, January 17, students will compete via objective tests. Both the essays and objective tests will take place virtually. On Saturday, January 31, 2026, teams will participate in the speech and interview portion of the competition, followed by the popular Super Quiz—the only event open to the public (other than the awards ceremony). The Super Quiz will start at 1 p.m., and the awards ceremony will follow at 4 p.m. Both events will be held at the Riverside County Office of Education Conference Center (4280 Brockton Ave., Riverside, CA).

The awards ceremony will feature individual accolades and the announcement of the team that will represent Riverside County at the California Academic Decathlon on March 20-22, 2026, in Santa Clara. The California state champion advances to the United States Academic Decathlon from April 23-25, 2026, in Garden Grove, California.

In the 2025 Riverside County Academic Decathlon, Western Center Academy from the Hemet Unified School District was named the champion for the third consecutive year. Finishing second was Beaumont High School’s Team A, while its Team B finished third. Great Oak High School finished fourth, and Valley View High School was fifth overall.

For 2026, the 9 Riverside County high school teams competing include:

• Beaumont High School (two teams) - Beaumont USD
• Corona High School – Corona-Norco USD
• Western Center Academy (two teams) - Hemet USD
• Elsinore High School - Lake Elsinore USD
• Canyon Springs High School - Moreno Valley USD
• Valley View High School - Moreno Valley USD
• Vista del Lago High School - Moreno Valley USD
• Heritage High School - Perris Union High SD
• Great Oak High School - Temecula Valley USD

Riverside County Academic Decathlon historical results:

• 2025 – Western Center Academy
• 2024 – Western Center Academy
• 2023 – Western Center Academy
• 2022 – Elsinore
• 2021 – Elsinore
• 2020 – Elsinore
• 2019 – Elsinore
• 2018 – Elsinore
• 2017 – Elsinore
• 2016 – West Valley
• 2015 – West Valley
• 2014 – Hemet
• 2013 – West Valley
• 2012 – West Valley
• 2011 – West Valley
• 2010 – West Valley
• 2009 – West Valley
• 2008 – Hemet
• 2007 – Hemet
• 2006 – Hemet