For the third consecutive year, Alhambra High School claimed the championship title at the 44th Annual Los Angeles County Academic Decathlon, demonstrating exceptional academic excellence, teamwork and perseverance against some of the County’s strongest competitors.

Competing against 61 teams and 475 decathletes from across Los Angeles County, Alhambra High School secured first place with a winning score of 49,044 points, narrowly edging out an intensely competitive field. The month-long academic competition culminated today at a celebratory awards luncheon hosted by the Los Angeles County Office of Education aboard The Queen Mary in Long Beach.

This year’s Academic Decathlon challenged students across ten rigorous subject areas, including art, economics, literature, mathematics, science, music, social science, essay, speech and interview. Throughout the competition, students demonstrated not only academic mastery but also resilience, collaboration and a passion for learning.

“These students represent the very best of what academic dedication and perseverance look like,” said Dr. Debra Duardo, Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools. “Their achievements reflect countless hours of preparation, the unwavering support of their coaches and families, and a commitment to excellence that extends far beyond the classroom. I am incredibly proud of every student who participated.”

Top Five Teams – Overall Scores

1. Alhambra High School — 49,044 points
2. Mark Keppel High School — 49,041 points
3. West High School — 48,039 points
4. El Rancho High School — 47,476 points
5. South El Monte High School — 43,719 points

Top Three Scoring Decathletes – Overall

1. Ivan Luu, Mark Keppel High School — 9,190 points
2. Tanner Donald, West High School — 9,084 points
3. Amber Kuo, Mark Keppel High School — 8,877 points

Coach of the Year

For the first time in the program’s history, two coaches were honored with the prestigious Roberta Kordich Coach Award. Coach Carlos Melgar and Coach Steve Francis of El Rancho High School received the award, which recognizes coaches who exemplify extraordinary dedication by inspiring students to achieve excellence beyond the fundamentals of competition. This year’s recipients were nominated by their students for fostering a positive, inclusive and motivating team culture.

Scholarships and Recognition

Thanks to the continued support of California Credit Union, scholarships ranging from $200 to $500 were awarded to outstanding decathletes across Varsity, Scholastic and Honors divisions, as well as the top overall scorers. In addition, the program introduced a new honor this year, Four-Year Scholar Medals, recognizing students who participated in Academic Decathlon throughout all four years of high school.

Advancing to State Competition

The following nine teams earned qualification to represent Los Angeles County at the California Academic Decathlon:

• Alhambra High School
• Mark Keppel High School
• West High School
• El Rancho High School
• South El Monte High School
• San Gabriel High School
• Redondo Union High School
• California Academy of Mathematics and Science
• Beverly Hills High School

Top performers at the state level will advance to the National Academic Decathlon.

As the program concluded, more than 600 medals were awarded during the ceremony, celebrating the dedication and academic accomplishments of students from schools across the County. Congratulations to all of our decathletes, coaches and schools who participated!