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Contact: John Anstey PhD Phone (402) 498-0798 JRANSTEY@aol.com |
2175 N 124th Ave. Circle Omaha, NE 68164 |
Nebraska Academic Decathlon |
Press Release
Date: February 11, 2008
For Immediate Release
KIEWIT FOUNDATION SUPPORTS THE NEBRASKA ACADEMIC DECATHLON THROUGH A CHALLENGE GRANT
Nebraska’s Academic Decathlon teams will benefit this year from a $50,000 Challenge grant from The Peter Kiewit Foundation.
The Nebraska Academic Decathlon promotes academic growth, teamwork, and communication skills among high school students of all achievement levels through statewide academic competitions. Nebraska joined this national endeavor in 1983 and depends entirely on private support with no federal or state funding.
The Nebraska Academic Decathlon's annual operating budget is approximately $157,000.00 to cover costs of promotion, recruitment, materials, competitions, and scholarships. Additional funds raised between now and June 2008 will be matched dollar for dollar by the Kiewit Foundation "Challenge grant" up to the $50,000 level. Individuals or organizations wishing to support the Nebraska Academic Decathlon can send their contributions to:
Nebraska Academic Decathlon
In Care of: Security National Bank
1120 S. 101St
Omaha, NE 68124
All contributions will be acknowledged with a letter to document the tax deductible charitable contribution.
ADDITIONAL FACTS:
The Academic Decathlon is an approved activity by the National Association of Secondary School Administrators.
The Nebraska Academic Decathlon Foundation is a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization.
Teams of six students with equal numbers of A, B, and C grade levels compete.
Students invest over 72,000 hours in study preparing for regional and state competitions.
Students are tested in ten separate areas: Economics, Art, Language and Literature, Math, Music, Science, Social Science and Speech, Essay Writing, a graded Personal Interview.
Each year the Science or Social Science topic is used for the Super Quiz topic. Family, friends, and the general public are welcome to observe the Super Quiz event that will begin at 2:15pm on Saturday, February 16th in the Skutt Student Center at Creighton University.
Over two hundred teachers (coaches) expend 38,000 hours preparing the students.
The Decathlon is a major community service project for Nebraska Optimist Clubs.
In 2007:
o
Approximately 800 students from across Nebraska participated.o
Forty-seven high schools competed based upon size with both small and large schools involved.o
Approximately seven hundred volunteers spent thousands of hours conducting the decathlons.o
One hundred sixty two college scholarships were awarded to decathlon winners.Media contact information:
Name: Dr. John Anstey
Title: State Executive Director
Address: 2175 N 124th Ave. Circle
Omaha, NE 68164
Phone number: (402) 498-0798
Email: JRANSTEY@aol.com