Sherman Thomas, Mountain Home win pentathlon

For The Madera Tribune

The Sherman Thomas eighth grade Academic Pentathlon team won the Madera County championship last week. Back row, from left, are Caden Heberer, Andrea Nichols, Emily Childers, Yasmeen Elabdeny, Isaac Nolan, TreSean Taylor, Bay Garlick, Jazlene Valdez, Isabel Castillo and Vincent Rodriguez. In front are coaches Jamie Brock, left, and Angie Reed.

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The 2022 Madera County Academic Pentathlon culminated with the Super Quiz and Awards Ceremony and named Mountain Home School Charter this year’s seventh grade champion team and Sherman Thomas STEM Academy the eighth grade champion team.

Nearly 100 students participated in this five-event academic competition, held on March 3 and 19. Students competed in the areas of essay, fine arts, literature, science and social science. This year’s topic was Water: A Most Essential Resource.

Oak Creek Intermediate School came in second place in the seventh grade competition and Sherman Thomas STEM Academy placed third. Mountain Home School Charter came in second in the eighth grade competition and Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School placed third.

Mountain Home School Charter earned first place in the seventh grade Super Quiz competition and Sherman Thomas STEM Academy earned first place in the eighth grade Super Quiz. Sherman Thomas STEM Academy came in second in the seventh grade competition and Oak Creek Intermediate School placed third. In the eighth grade competition, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School and Mountain Home School Charter tied for second and Eastin Arcola Elementary School placed third.

“Madera County’s seventh and eighth grade pentathletes are amazing,” said Dr. Cecilia Massetti, Madera County Superintendent of Schools. “They studied countless hours, showed exceptional sportsmanship, team spirit, and dedication throughout the contest. Our students did extremely well.”

Each team consisted of up to 15 students per team. Schools were allowed a seventh and an eighth grade team. Students had to compete in all five events. Teams had been practicing for this event since October. Students took the essay and literature tests online from their individual school sites on March 3. All students competed together, in-person, at Ranchos Middle School on March 19. They took the fine arts, science and social science tests in the morning followed by the Super Quiz and awards ceremony.

The Academic Pentathlon is sponsored by Madera County Superintendent of Schools and the Madera County Schools Foundation and supported by community donations. A complete list of award recipients, as follows:

Essay

7th Grade

Gold: Benjamin Brokaw, Mountain Home School Charter

Silver: Sofia Marmon, Rivergold Elementary School

Bronze: Emily Kirby, Oak Creek Intermediate School

8th Grade

Gold: Noah Mellon, Mountain Home School Charter

Silver: Gabriella Martinez-Solis, Oak Creek Intermediate School

Bronze: Francesca Garza, Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Fine Arts

7th Grade

Gold: Daniela Oxelson, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Silver: Benjamin Brokaw, Mountain Home School Charter

Bronze: Emily Kirby, Oak Creek Intermediate School

8th Grade

Gold: Isaac Nolan, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Silver: Noah Mellon, Mountain Home School Charter

Bronze: Nelson Reitz, Mountain Home School Charter

Literature

7th Grade

Gold: Daniel Shepherd, Oak Creek Intermediate School

Gold: Date Vanlandingham, Oak Creek Intermediate School

Gold: Daniela Oxelson, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Silver: Benjamin Brokaw, Mountain Home School Charter

Bronze: Ian Judd, Mountain Home School Charter

8th Grade

Gold: Noah Mellon, Mountain Home School Charter

Silver: Isaac Nolan, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Bronze: Caden Heberer Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Science

7th Grade

Gold: Benjamin Brokaw, Mountain Home School Charter

Silver: Ian Judd, Mountain Home School Charter

Bronze: Daniela Oxelson, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

8th Grade

Gold: Isaac Nolan, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Silver: Logan Encinas, Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Bronze: Jazlene Valdez, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Social Science

7th Grade

Gold: Benjamin Brokaw, Mountain Home School Charter

Silver: Ian Judd, Mountain Home School Charter

Bronze: Michelle Tran, Oak Creek Intermediate School

8th Grade

Gold: Isaac Nolan, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Silver: Vincent Rodriguez, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Bronze: Noah Mellon, Mountain Home School Charter

Bronze: Jonathan Hernandez-Luz, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School