Top scorer in Academic Decathlon headed to nationals

BY PREETI MATHUR CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Charlie Neumann, a Shoreview teen and a top scorer at the regional and state levels in the Academic Decathlon competition, is heading with his team to compete in the National Academic Decathlon championship in April.

The Academic Decathlon is a scholastic team competition where students match their knowledge with students from other schools in various tests. They complete seven online written tests in science, literature, art, music, mathematics, economics and social science; write essays; give prepared and impromptu speeches; and give interviews. The competition is designed to include students from all achievement levels and typically consists of nine members, divided into three teams based on their grade point average.

Encouraged by his mother, Neumann, a freshman at Avalon Charter (Montessori) School in St. Paul, enrolled in the Academic Decathlon offered as part of his regular school curriculum. “I love learning,” Neumann said.

In addition to the hours in the classroom and with his team, he puts in extra hours each day, especially before he takes the tests. This additional work has certainly paid off for him.

“At regionals, the maximum score is 7,000, and I had 4,100,” Neumann said. “At state, the maximum score is 10,000, and I had 6,500.”

The national competition will be held April 27-29 in Frisco, Texas. The team has started a GoFundMe to help them finance the trip. “We are trying to raise $18,000 and, amazingly, we have already raised $14,383,” Neumann said. Most of the funds have been contributed by friends and family. The team hopes others can help and make up the difference.