Bishop John Noonan | Diocese of Orland website

One hundred fifty students, coaches, and spectators gathered at Father Lopez gymnasium on March 1, 2025, for the National Catholic Academic Junior High Decathlon. This event marked the first participation of Diocese of Orlando Catholic schools in the competition since its establishment in 1989.

Patricia Dailey, associate superintendent of education for the diocese, initiated Florida's involvement after learning about the event at a Catholic Leadership Seminar. She was motivated by others' "energy and excitement" about the experience for both academic coaches and middle school students.

The Office of Catholic Schools selected participating schools based on Terra Nova Assessment scores. Stephen Dole, associate superintendent, organized the effort to showcase schools that consistently perform well academically. Seven out of ten invited schools participated alongside teams from the Archdiocese of Miami and Diocese of St. Augustine.

Dole noted that preparation involved more than selecting top students: “They’ve had to read a lot of books over the last couple of months. They’ve had to practice,” he said.

The decathlon included a Logic Quiz and Super Quiz as collaborative efforts, with individual events testing knowledge in various subjects including Roman Catholic doctrine and science.

Spectators attended only for the Super Quiz portion. Katie Walsh, principal of St. Margaret Mary Catholic School in Winter Park, likened it to cheering at a sports game but for academics.

Sandra Hoff coached St. Margaret Mary's team, emphasizing collaboration among students who she described as bright thinkers. Eighth-grader Logan L., representing religion, credited her Bible study group with helping her remain calm during competitions.

Olivia J., also an eighth-grader from St. Margaret Mary’s team who placed second in current events, described it as a fun way to compete using knowledge rather than sports skills.

St. Margaret Mary will advance to national competition on March 14 along with other individuals like Isabella D. and Siege R., seventh-graders from St. Mary Magdalen in Altamonte Springs who excelled in their categories despite initial nerves or being alternates.

Ethan B., a sixth-grader representing science from St. Mary Magdalen found enjoyment in connecting studies across disciplines such as math and chemistry while Betsy Moricle praised her team's independent preparation efforts outside limited weekly meetings.

Kilian J., an eighth-grader at St James Cathedral School took first place in English; she looks forward eagerly towards nationals having learned valuable lessons about teamwork through this process according to Debbie Condron who knows Kilian well enough over two years witnessing firsthand dedication paying off during competitions before meeting virtually again come March 14th against national competitors ahead!