OAKHURST, CA – For the fifth consecutive year, Glacier High School Charter prevailed, making them the champions of the 44th Madera County Academic Decathlon.
Glacier High will advance to the state competition March 19-22. They earned a score of 34,466.4 and will advance to the California Academic Decathlon and compete against the best teams in the state.
Seven schools competed Saturday in this 10-event competition answering questions based on the topic “The Roaring Twenties.”
“The decathletes demonstrated remarkable commitment and teamwork, with their positive energy evident throughout the competition,” said Tricia Protzman, Madera County Superintendent of Schools. “We are proud to have Glacier High School Charter represent Madera County at the state competition and wish them luck at the next level. We know they will represent Madera County with fierce determination and excellence.”
Madera High School came in second place with Matilda Torres High School placing third. Chowchilla Union High School, Liberty High School, Madera South High School, and Sherman Thomas Charter High School also competed in this 10-event competition.
Decathlon teams are comprised of up to 25 members competing in three levels of competition: Honor (A), Scholastic (B) and Varsity (C) students.
Glacier High School won the Super Quiz competition. The Super Quiz format this year allowed students in each round to discuss the question before making their individual selections.
“The Super Quiz is a part of the competition that gives families and community members a unique opportunity to watch students collaborate and compete as a team,” said Protzman. “It offers an exciting glimpse into the knowledge and preparation students bring to every subject area of this year’s theme.”
A total of 117 medals were handed out at the awards ceremony. Chowchilla Union High received 6 medals: 2 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze. Glacier High Charter received 32 medals: 16 gold, 8 silver and 8 bronze. Liberty High was awarded 13 medals: 3 gold, 6 silver and 4 bronze. Madera High received 42 medals: 11 gold, 12 silver medals, and 19 bronze. Madera South High received 13 medals: 3 gold, 5 silver, and 5 bronze. Matilda Torres High was awarded 8 medals: 5 silver and 3 bronze. Sherman Thomas Charter High was awarded 3 medals: 2 gold and 1 silver.
Hope Judd, a freshman from Glacier High School Charter was the top scoring decathlete this year, scoring 6,893.6 points out of 10,000 across the 10 events. She earned the EECU Outstanding Scholar Award of $500.00.
The top scoring senior from each school received a $250 scholarship. The following students earned the senior honors:
Chowchilla Union High School – Genesis Cerrato Castro
Glacier High School Charter – Ava Simonich
Liberty High School – Tory Green
Madera High School – Angelica Castillo
Madera South High School – Brooklyn Lopez
Matilda Torres High School – Maribel Ortiz-Garcia
A four-year scholar award was added this year in honor of Dr. Cecilia Massetti, retired Madera County Superintendent of Schools. Students who participated in the Academic Decathlon all four years of high school received a special four-year scholar medal. A scholarship was awarded to Ava Simonich from Glacier High School Charter for earning the highest cumulative score throughout all four years.
“The Dr. Cecilia Massetti Four-Year Scholar Award reflects the shared dedication of the students who completed the program and long-standing support Dr. Massetti has shown to the program since it began,” said Protzman.
The Glacier High team members who will be attending the state competition, led by coach Katie Kelly are: Honors Division- Ian Judd, Ava Simonich; Scholastic Division- Faith Cunningham, Hope Judd, Joseph Nichols; Varsity Division- Dejea Cornell, Emma Maire
The Madera County Academics Decathlon is funded by donations from local businesses and community members. Educational Employees Credit Union and Madera County Schools Foundation proudly support the event.

Pictured: Glacier High School Charter First Place Team Members and Coach
The following is a list of students who received medals.
Art
Honor
Gold: Daniela Oxelson, Sherman Thomas Charter High School
Silver: Ava Simonich, Glacier High School
Bronze: Ian Judd, Glacier High School
Scholastic
Gold: Hope Judd, Glacier High School
Silver: Treysean Taylor, Madera High School
Bronze: Joseph Nichols, Glacier High School
Varsity
Gold: Karla Rodriguez, Madera High School
Silver: Dejea Cornell, Glacier High School
Bronze: Joselyn Lopez, Chowchilla Union High School
Economics
Honor
Gold: Ian Judd, Glacier High School
Silver: Tory Green, Liberty High School
Bronze: Ava Simonich, Glacier High School
Scholastic
Gold: Samuel Stansbury, Madera High School
Silver: Roberto Mena, Madera High School
Bronze: Hope Judd, Glacier High School
Varsity
Gold: Corbin Beavers, Liberty High School
Gold: Julissa Rendon-Vazquez, Madera High School
Silver: Karla Rodriguez, Madera High School
Bronze: Harmony Aguilar, Liberty High School
Bronze: Roseleen Luna, Madera High School
Essay
Honor
Gold: Brooklyn Lopez, Madera South High School
Silver: Ian Judd, Glacier High School
Bronze: Karis Rodriguez, Madera High School
Scholastic
Gold: Hope Judd, Glacier High School
Silver: Ashley Ortiz, Liberty High School
Bronze: Sophia Garcia, Madera High School
Varsity
Gold: Kya Bitter, Madera High School
Silver: Joselyn Lopez, Chowchilla Union High School
Bronze: Robert Solis, Madera High School
Interview
Honor
Gold: Giovanni Guevara-Lopez, Madera South High School
Silver: Angelica Castillo, Madera High School
Silver: Annaiya Franco, Madera High School
Silver: Bayan Alshaikh, Chowchilla Union High School
Bronze: Celine Patlan, Madera High School
Bronze: Emily Childers, Madera High School
Scholastic
Gold: Luz Juarez-Santiago, Madera High School
Silver: Isabella Delgado, Matilda Torres High School
Bronze: Roberto Mena, Madera High School
Varsity
Gold: Emma Maire, Glacier High School
Silver: Corbin Beavers, Liberty High School
Bronze: Isabella Castro, Madera High School
Language & Literature
Honor
Gold: Ian Judd, Glacier High School
Gold: Daniela Oxelson, Sherman Thomas Charter High School
Silver: Angelica Castillo, Madera High School
Bronze: Genesis Cerrato Castro, Chowchilla Union High School
Bronze: Justesy Vasquez, Liberty High School
Scholastic
Gold: Hope Judd, Glacier High School
Silver: Treysean Taylor, Madera High School
Bronze: Joseph Nichols, Glacier High School
Varsity
Gold: Karla Rodriguez, Madera High School
Silver: Kya Bitter, Madera High School
Silver: Emma Maire, Glacier High School
Silver: Robert Solis, Madera High School
Silver: Allison Sorto Lainez, Madera South High School
Bronze: Yanet Gomez, Madera South High School
Mathematics
Honor
Gold: Ian Judd, Glacier High School
Silver: Jayden Nguyen, Liberty High School
Silver: Rene Quintana, Liberty High School
Bronze: Adrian Abundiz, Madera High School
Scholastic
Gold: Hope Judd, Glacier High School
Gold: Mia Torres, Chowchilla Union High School
Silver: Briant Garcia, Matilda Torres High School
Bronze: Aaron Dayuday, Madera South High School
Bronze: Maurillo Guevara-Lopez, Madera High School
Varsity
Gold: Dejea Cornell, Glacier High School
Gold: Roseleen Luna, Madera High School
Gold: Julissa Rendon-Vazquez, Madera High School
Silver: Isabella Castro, Madera High School
Silver: Allison Sorto Lainez, Madera South High School
Silver: Jordan Yniguez, Madera South High School
Bronze: Yaretzi Guzman, Madera South High School
Bronze: Emma Maire, Glacier High School
Bronze: Marbella Vasquez Santiago, Matilda Torres High School
Bronze: Carlos Zarate, Liberty High School
Music
Honor
Gold: Ava Simonich, Glacier High School
Silver: Angelica Castillo, Madera High School
Bronze: Brandon Contreras, Liberty High School
Bronze: Keila Martinez-Lopez, Madera South High School
Bronze: Karis Rodriguez, Madera High School
Scholastic
Gold: Hope Judd, Glacier High School
Silver: Joseph Nichols, Glacier High School
Bronze: Luz Juarez-Santiago, Madera High School
Varsity
Gold: Harmony Aguilar, Liberty High School
Silver: Michael Stone, Madera South High School
Bronze: Isabella Castro, Madera High School
Bronze: Emiliano Maldonado Tapia, Matilda Torres High School
Science
Honor
Gold: Ava Simonich, Glacier High School
Silver: Daniela Oxelson, Sherman Thomas Charter High School
Bronze: Ian Judd, Glacier High School
Scholastic
Gold: Hope Judd, Glacier High School
Silver: Fernando Berdejo-Cruz, Matilda Torres High School
Bronze: Joseph Nichols, Glacier High School
Varsity
Gold: Corbin Beavers, Liberty High School
Silver: Corra Cosentino, Matilda Torres High School
Bronze: Julissa Rendon-Vazquez, Madera High School
Social Science
Honor
Gold: Ava Simonich, Glacier High School
Silver: Ian Judd, Glacier High School
Bronze: Giovanni Guevara-Lopez, Madera South High School
Scholastic
Gold: Hope Judd, Glacier High School
Silver: Joseph Nichols, Glacier High School
Bronze: Treysean Taylor, Madera High School
Varsity
Gold: Karla Rodriguez, Madera High School
Silver: Corra Cosentino, Matilda Torres High School
Silver: Kyleigh Pierce, Liberty High School
Bronze: Julissa Rendon-Vazquez, Madera High School
Speech
Honor
Gold: Ava Simonich, Glacier High School
Gold: Genesis Cerrato Castro, Chowchilla Union High School
Gold: Brooklyn Lopez, Madera South High School
Silver: Annabelle Pineda, Madera High School
Bronze: Celine Patlan, Madera High School
Scholastic
Gold: Samuel Stansbury, Madera High School
Silver: Ivan Diaz, Jr., Madera South High School
Bronze: Roberto Mena, Madera High School
Varsity
Gold: Gizelle Carrillo, Madera High School
Silver: Dejea Cornell, Glacier High School
Bronze: Kya Bitter, Madera High School
Bronze: Patricia Enrique-Cervantes, Matilda Torres High School
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