Academic Decathlon

Tarzan is a great educator. He stays late, he works Saturdays, he volunteers, he starts new clubs and programs to get students and teachers involved. He's amazing frankly. And because I am Wife Of The Year, I help him out whenever I can. I've chauffeured chess club players to matches, photographed events, carpooled, whatever. I don't mind because I get to see Tarzan in action. So when he asked if we could stop by the Academic Decathlon (did you know Decathlon is spelled with only one 'a?' Could have sworn it was DecathAlon...) his school's team was competing in last Saturday I was agreeable. I thought I knew what a Decathlon was - I've seen movies - even though I never competed in one. (Note: Jane does not think on her feet well - this is why a blog is a good medium for her) We walked by the registration table, the food table. There were adults and students hanging around the stairwells and lobby, lots of purposeful movement going on. I was mildly surprised by how well the students were dressed and how casually the adults were. Suits, ties, jackets and heels versus jeans, sweats and ball caps. The "science guru" from WPHS motioned us over as we entered the cafeteria which was laid out as base camp for all the schools. This is Tarzan's school table:It took me a minute, amongst all the introductions, to notice that many of the students were TALKING TO WALLS:I mean, they were really insistant, pleading and imploring to the doors and chair rails. I found this extremely fascinating. It was explained that there are indeed ten events (the whole "Deca-" part of the deal) but with several hundred students involved the interviews and speeches take a REALLY long time. So three events were last Saturday and the other seven will be this coming Saturday. The medals are for individual and overall scores. The interviews are taken from an information sheet the participants bring with them and it's considered the easiest part. The speeches are prepared previously and it was these the students were practising towards the walls:As this was not his first trip to one of these Mr. S let us in on all the secrets that the champion schools use. A lint brush is utilized to the point of insanity. They girls, especially, are encouraged to wear gloves until right before their speech so theirs will be warm when they shake the judges' hands. Right before each event a breath mint strip is gently placed on each student's tongue. This is irrelevant of the fact there is at least 10 feet between student and interviewer/judge. And, of course, the hair must be fluffed just so:This is a high school boy in a suit, on his knees, getting his hair fluffed by a person not his mother. None of the boys I knew in high school would have worn a suit, let alone any of the rest of it.
We didn't stay long but it was a highly educational experience. The students were all really nice and polite. I am not often called "Mrs. O'Grady." It was cute. I wanted to fluff all of their hair!

This is me learning, even after school is over.