The State Academic Decathlon team poses with the Ron Knudson Memorial Trophy.

Seated (l to r) Quinton Butler, Dan Waltersdorf, Gerrit Nibbelink

Standing: (l to r) Conner Harris, Conrad Keezer, Jordin Lanigan, Shawna Springer, Issac Beck-Brunk, Aubrey Clark, Tyler Nutting

Not pictured: Sandy Randall, Andrea Sager

This year’s Academic Decathlon regional competition ended up as a homecoming of sorts. The Grundy Center Spartans reclaimed the Ron Knudson traveling trophy that goes home with the best team of the competition. En route to earning the trophy, the GC scholars earned 44 event ribbons and claimed six of nine medals for top overall scores.

The Ron Knudson Award is a memorial to the Denver High School principal and decathlon coach who was instrumental in establishing Academic Decathlon in northeast Iowa. The award, which goes to the highest scoring team from the Waterloo regional, was first given in 1996. From 2004 – 2007 it was proudly displayed in the Grundy Center trophy case. In 2008 it traveled to Iowa Falls, and in 2009 it made its way north to Mason City. Now, in 2010, it is back in Grundy Center.

The effort was led by seniors Pete Baldwin, Quinton Butler, Conrad Keezer, Tyler Nutting and Dan Waltersdorf. They were ably supported by junior Conner Harris and sophomores Aubrey Clark, Jacob Harberts and Shawna Springer. They combined for a score of 27,043.

Conrad Keezer is a senior who is new to Academic Decathlon as well as to Grundy Center High School. Conrad’s family moved to Iowa from Washington, and we’re glad that they did. At the close of the competition, Conrad had earned the silver medal for the second highest score among Honor competitors (GPA above 3.74), 1^st place ribbons in Economics and Speech, and a 2^nd place ribbon in Music.

Aubrey Clark followed just behind Conrad, claiming the bronze medal for Honor students and 1^st place ribbons for Interview, Literature and Music. She also earned a 3^rd place ribbon for Speech.

Quinton Butler was the top achiever. He earned a gold medal for the top score among Scholastic competitors (GPA from 3.00 to 3.74), and garnered 1^st place ribbons in Art, Interview, Literature, Science and Super Quiz. Throw in a 2^nd place in Speech and a 3^rd place in Music, and you have a pretty productive day.

Tyler Nutting followed Quinton’s lead and captured the Scholastic silver medal. Along the way he picked up 1^st place ribbons for Economics and Music, and 2^nd place honors for Art, Literature and Super Quiz.

Gerrit Nibbelink chipped in to make it a Grundy Center sweep of the Scholastic medals. While earning the bronze medal, he tallied 3^rd place ribbons in Literature and Science.

Last, and never least, Dan Waltersdorf claimed the bronze medal in the Varsity (GPA below 3.00) division. Dan compiled 1^st place finishes in Music and Speech to go along with a 3^rd place ribbon in Literature.

Click on “Read More” to see a complete list of awards won by Grundy Center students.

  Come enjoy the great outdoors with the YMCA Skiing Trip. The YMCA skiing trip will take place Friday, February 26th to Sleepy Hollow Sports Park in Des Moines.  There is no school on the 26th so the bus will be leaving at 8am and returning around 5pm.  For $35 the students will receive transportation to Sleepy Hollow, a lift ticket, skiing , and tubing. Snowboarding is an extra $8. The trip is open to all students in grades 6-12

Hurry and get signed up today because the trip is limited to the first 50 participants to sign up!