Academic Decathlon Pits 14 High Schools

It’s brains, not brawn, that prevail in this battle.

Hoping to prove their high school the brightest from Santa Paula to Simi Valley, 14 teams will participate in Saturday’s 15th annual Ventura County Academic Decathlon.

The decathlon tests students’ intellectual mettle with events in economics, music and visual art, language and literature, mathematics, science, social science, essay writing and public speaking.

From Bosnia to Berlioz, almost any topic is fair game in the contest--which attracts cheering friends, nervous teachers and proud parents.

Competing will be teams from Buena, Camarillo, Channel Islands, Hueneme, La Reina, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Oxnard, Rio Mesa, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Ventura and Westlake high schools.

Last year, the Simi Valley team took top county honors, besting Buena and Thousand Oaks high schools in the process.

The winning team will represent Ventura County in March in the California State Decathlon. A Ventura County team has never captured top state honors, which are often won by powerhouse Los Angeles and Orange County teams.

The decathlon will run between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Oxnard High School, 3400 W. Gonzalez Road, but most events are closed to the public.

Doors will be open to spectators during the high-intensity Super Quiz, the last of 10 brain-baffling events, which will begin at 3 p.m. in the gymnasium. Winning teams will receive awards in a 4:30 p.m. ceremony in the performing arts building.