El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills won the 2018 California Academic Decathlon in Sacramento Sunday for the first time since it won both the state and national title in 2014.
Mirroring its win in the Los Angeles Unified School District contest in February, El Camino Real bested reigning national champion Granada Hills Charter High School, which had won six of the previous seven contests.
Finishing third was South Pasadena High School, which in February won its fourth consecutive Los Angeles County Academic Decathlon, a competition open to all public high schools outside the LAUSD.
"Another stellar performance from El Camino Real Charter High School," LAUSD board member Scott M. Schmerelson said. "Year after year, you have mastered and outperformed each other, leading to victory and your personal best."
Interim Superintendent Vivian Ekchian added: "On behalf of the L.A. Unified family, we are inspired by your drive, hard work and competitive spirit."
All five top positions were claimed by Los Angeles County schools. Franklin High School was fourth and Mark Keppel High School in Alhambra was fifth.
El Camino Real's win means it will compete in the U.S. Academic Decathlon in Frisco, Texas, in April.
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The Academic Decathlon tests students from across the country in 10 categories: art, economics, music, language and literature, mathematics, science, social science, speech, interview, and essay. The contest culminates in the Super Quiz -- a Jeopardy-style event that pulls from each subject. This year's questions focused on the theme of Africa.
