Ulysses S. Grant High School in Valley Glen won the 2021 Academic Decathlon for the Los Angeles Unified School District, marking a year of firsts: the school’s first-ever win, the first virtual contest and the first time their last-minute cram sessions did not include boxes of shared Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
This was more than a big win for the high school, which serves a diverse and primarily working-class student body from the Van Nuys and North Hollywood area. For team members, it was a lifeline that helped them fend off the isolation of distance learning.
“I guess school sort of feels like an endless cycle at times, but knowing I have Decathlon right after Zoom classes is over, and we’re working toward regionals, toward state — it really just is a motivation that keeps me going,” said Yadira Castillo, who earned the highest individual score among LAUSD contestants. The next-highest scorers were Madison Sznicer from Northridge Academy High and Castillo’s Grant teammate Vivian Le.
Castillo, a third-year veteran of the decathlon, said the competition has been a saving grace during her final months of high school. The marathon study sessions over Zoom — sometimes stretching from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and until 10 p.m. on weekdays — have been exhausting, but also provided a social connection that’s been sorely missed during the school day, when many students keep their cameras off during class.
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