Canyon del Oro High School's Academic Decathlon team will represent Arizona at the national finals in Memphis after winning the state competition.
The school's nine-member team competed in Friday and Saturday's state competition, which featured 40 teams from across the state, at Sandra Day O'Connor High School in Phoenix and defeated second-place Mesa's Red Mountain High School by 3,000 points to win the state contest and a trip to the national finals.
Canyon del Oro, 25 W. Calle Concordia, last won the state competition in 2006.
The national finals will be in Memphis, Tenn., on April 22-25.
Canyon del Oro's team includes Taylor Cleland, Marie Clymer, Benjamin Ferell, Melinda Fraser, Jordan Kurker-Mraz, Rush Moore, Dylan Ousley, Danielle "Ellie" Strasser and Jennifer Wendel.
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The team is coached by CDO math teacher Chris Yetman.
Individually, Cleland, Clymer and Kurker-Mraz were the top students in their divisions.
Ferell received an award for having the competition's top essay.
At the event, students take written exams on art history, economics, literature, mathematics, music, social science and science.
Each year there is a different theme and this year's theme was Latin America with a focus on Mexico.
Students also are required to write an essay, give a prepared and impromptu speech and give a formal interview.
Sonoran Science Academy also competed at the state competition and finished in eighth place. It also was recognized for being the highest-scoring 1A school.
