In its inaugural year, St. John Bosco High School emerged victorious in the Southern California Private Schools Academic Decathlon, finishing first place overall in Division IV, first place in the Super Quiz, winning a total of 56 medals.
Bellflower, CA. – With nearly 300 students competing from more than 20 schools in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, the Academic Decathlon featured some of the best and brightest in Southern California. In addition to finishing first place in its division, St. John Bosco High School finished with the 7th highest overall score. Junior Ethan Wadsworth led the Braves, winning 10 medals (nine of which were gold) and finishing with the fifth highest score out of the students who competed. Senior Regil Machete won six medals; and senior Jared Stillhard, junior Derek Wadsworth, sophomore Connor Roohan, and freshman Zachary Pao won five medals each.
Fifteen St. John Bosco High School students participated in the regional round of this national competition, which took place over the last two weekends. Decathlon teams are comprised of students from different grade-point average levels who compete against other students in 11 areas: Art, Economics, Essay, Interview, Language & Literature, Math, Music, Social Science, Speech, Science and Super Quiz. All events, except for Math, relate to a central topic; this year’s United States Academic Decathlon theme was “Africa.”
“I am extremely proud of our students for laying the foundation of academic competition excellence and paving the way for future Braves to show off their academic talents,” said Edgar Salmingo, Vice President of Academic Affairs, St. John Bosco High School. “To achieve first place in only their first year of competition is truly remarkable.”
The official medal counts are listed below.
DIVISION IV – FIRST PLACE OVERALL AND SUPER QUIZ CHAMPIONS: Andro Labastida, Regil Machete, Rudy Olivera, Nathan Quigg, Zachary Pao, Connor Roohan, Jared Stillhard, Derek Wadsworth, Ethan Wadsworth
TOTAL TEAM MEDAL COUNT
31 Gold Medals
7 Silver Medals
18 Bronze Medals
56 Total Medals
TOP MEDAL WINNERS
Ethan Wadsworth: 10 medals
Regil Machete: 6 medals
Andro Labastida, Zachary Pao, Connor Roohan, Jared Stillhard, Derek Wadsworth: 5 medals
Junior Ethan Wadsworth led the Braves, winning 10 medals (nine of which were gold) and finishing with the fifth highest score out of the students who competed.
DIVISION IV TEAM
Andro Labastida: 1 Gold (Interview), 2 Bronze (Essay, Music)
Regil Machete: 2 Silver (Art, Essay), 2 Bronze (Economics, Speech)
Rudy Olivera: Silver (Music)
Nathan Quigg: 2 Bronze (Music, Science)
Zachary Pao: Gold (Music), 2 Bronze (Essay, Math)
Connor Roohan: Silver (Social Science), 2 Bronze (Essay, Music)
Jared Stillhard: 2 Gold (Interview, Speech), Bronze (Art)
Derek Wadsworth: Silver (Art), 2 Bronze (Literature, Social Science)
Ethan Wadsworth: 7 Gold (Art, Economics, Literature, Music, Science, Social Science, Team High Scorer), Silver (Essay)
DIVISION V TEAM
John Arambulo: 2 Gold (Math, Music), Silver (Science)
Christian Brueggeman: Bronze (Social Science)
Albert De La Isla: Gold (Music)
Robert Hernandez
Carlos Medina: 2 Bronze (Art, Music)
John Udabe: Bronze (Literature)
About St. John Bosco High School:
Founded in 1940 by the Salesians of Don Bosco, St. John Bosco High School is a distinctive
all-male Catholic college preparatory school with a student body of approximately 800 students, grades 9-12. As
a Catholic college preparatory community in the Salesian tradition, the school educates young men with reason, religion and loving kindness to become men of purpose.