SANTA CLARA – Pleasant Valley High School’s Academic Decathlon team made an impressive mark at the 2025 California Academic Decathlon over the weekend, earning its place at the state competition after securing first place at the Butte County Academic Decathlon in February.

The team’s participation at the prestigious event marked a significant achievement, as it returned home with several state-level medals, the first in recent history for the school.

The standout performances came from team members Jackson Harrison, Alexis Oliver, and Amun Reddy. Harrison brought home a gold medal in science, showcasing his exceptional knowledge and understanding of the subject. Oliver earned a silver medal in Economics, along with a bronze in both Science and Essay. Reddy took home silver in Economics and bronze in Math, while also becoming the team’s top scorer.

The success of the team can be attributed to the dedicated coaching of Beth Burton and Mike Brooks, who guided the students through months of preparation, ensuring they were ready for the competitive state stage.

“I am incredibly proud of Pleasant Valley High School and all they have achieved this year,” said Mary Ellen Garrahy, Butte County’s regional decathlon coordinator. “The hard work, determination, and teamwork they displayed at both the county and state levels were truly inspiring. Their success at the state competition is a testament to the effort they put in throughout the year, and I couldn’t be happier for them.”

About Academic Decathlon

The Academic Decathlon is a scholastic competition that brings together the brightest students from across the region to compete in subjects including mathematics, science, economics, literature, history, and more. The program encourages academic excellence, teamwork, and a commitment to lifelong learning.

Butte County’s Academic Decathlon is an annual scholastic event hosted by Butte County Office of Education where high school students from across Butte County come together to compete in a series of rigorous academic challenges. The competition includes 10 events across subjects such as literature, science, math, economics, social science, and essay writing. Students work as teams, preparing for months under the guidance of dedicated coaches, and the winning team advances to the state finals, where they compete with top students from all over California. The mission of the Butte County Academic Decathlon is to foster academic excellence and to support the growth of students’ intellectual, social, and leadership skills.

For more information about the Butte County Academic Decathlon, please visit https://www.bcoe.org/Services/Student-Services/Student-Events/Academic-Decathlon or contact Mary Ellen Garrahy at mgarrahy@bcoe.org.