The Alaska Academic Decathlon is fueled by volunteers! Thank you to all of our hard-working volunteers for making this program possible.
2025 Volunteer Opportunities Will Be Posted in Late 2024!
Long-time Alaska Academic Decathlon Volunteer"It is fascinating to me to learn a little bit of what's in the mind of our youth. I appreciate and am encouraged by the students' responses."
Speech
Alaska Academic Decathlon students prepare and deliver a four-minute speech along with devising a two-minute impromptu speech based on one of three prompts. Their speeches are scored by a panel of three judges using the United States Academic Decathlon grading rubric.
The speech event is part of the in-person state competition, held at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Interview
Academic Decathlon students participate in a seven-minute professional interview scored by a panel of three judges. Questions and grading rubric are provided by the United States Academic Decathlon curriculum team.
The interview event is part of the in-person state competition, held at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Essay
Both Academic Decathlon (high school) and Pentathlon (middle school) students write a timed essay based on one of three prompts. Volunteer readers read and score the essays using a national rubric created by USAD.
Essay judging is done remotely, with your own device and at your leisure during a set reading period. A brief, mandatory training is provided via Zoom.