The AJHD Mission

As Catholic school educators, we affirm that each young person entrusted to our care has been endowed by God with marvelous intellectual gifts and talents. The United States Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon (or AJHD) strives to bring forth some of those academic talents and celebrate them in the context of spirit-filled competition. The five goals of the Decathlon are: 

• to promote academic excellence

• to promote collaborative spirit and cooperative learning skills

• to promote logical and higher order thinking

• to recognize the contributions of parents, teachers, school administrators, and business and community members in supporting high standards for all students; and

• to celebrate the diversity, excellence, and tradition of Catholic schools

History

The Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon was founded in September, 1989 by Dr. Mark Ryan who was then a junior high teacher at St. Aloysius School in south-central Los Angeles. Dr. Ryan had a vision for an academic event to parallel the athletic competitions so prevalent in schools. What began as a tiny competition involving a handful of schools from the greater Los Angeles area has grown to become a nation-wide event involving Catholic junior high students from across the United States. The Decathlon is now under the guiding jurisdiction of the California Catholic State Superintendents Curriculum Committee. 

What is the Decathlon?

The Academic Junior High Decathlon competition involves students from grades 5 through 8. This competition is comprised of ten events, two collaborative team efforts - a Logic Quiz with 20 rigorous thinking problems and a Super Quiz with 50 multiple choice questions, on five broad academic themes. The remaining eight events test knowledge of the Roman Catholic doctrine, English, Literature, Science, Mathematics, Current Events, Social Studies and Fine Arts (Art and Music). Awards are given for individual and team performance, and the winning school team from each geographic diocese is invited to compete in the National Championship.

During the 2022-2023 school year, more than 25 Catholic elementary schools throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles met at Bishop Alemany High School for an academic event that paralleled an athletic competition. Drawing in hundreds of students, parents, and supporters, our Acadmic junior High Decathlon competed and two of our students placed in two different events, one placed 2nd in Current Events and the other placed 1st in Fine Arts, and both were invited to compete in the National Championship.

Sacred Heart School values the each student and we strive not only to live the Gospel values and develop Christ-centered relationships, but to educate the whole child and to excel academically. Our Junior High Academic Decathlon team is extremely competitive and we enter every competition not just to compete, but to win in every event possible.