Academic Decathlon

What is AcaDec? Academic Decathlon is a competition where students study 10 distinct academic disciplines. We compete by taking tests, or in the subjective subjects, completing a performance. Each year we get a theme and most of the material centers around that theme. Here are some of the activities Academic Decathletes do to prepare for competition: read and study over a thousand pages of material in art history, economics, literature, math, music, science, and social science; write, memorize, and practice your own four minute speech, develop and practice your essay writing and interview skills.

Hear from the 2026 - 2027 Team Captain, Shafian Tahmid

First of all, just call me Shaf!  I joined AcaDec near the end of my Freshman year because I had actually never been in an extracurricular before and wanted to look for a challenge, and some of my friends were joining too. I knew the challenge that I was heading into, but it still caught me off guard. 

AcaDec requires a TON of commitment, but it’s hard in a good way.  It has been the most rewarding experience of my life as I now know how to manage my time given numerous hurdles thrown my way, am better at talking to people, especially in front of an audience, and I now see life as an interconnected thing rather than just being a math and science nerd.

AcaDec has given me immense confidence in my own ability, because I’ve  learned not only the resource guides but, more importantly, HOW to learn. That can be applied to everything! All my other classes, even the AP classes, are easy by comparison, because I now know how to handle them effectively.

AcaDec is also REALLY fun: it’s hard to put into words. Mr. Smith, Ms. Ajani, Ms. Gleicher, and Ms. Espinoza are all amazing coaches and make AcaDec a really enjoyable experience for the whole year. You spend a lot of time with your teammates and go through the same struggles and joys together. Trust me, you will remember the inside jokes for the rest of your life. You also get to travel in competitions, and while we compete, we also do fun activities together in amazing places like Bandera and San Antonio. I won’t forget the memories I made with the team in my first two years, and can’t wait to make new ones with y’all.

How do I join? We would love for you to stop by and see our work space at room 243 or 245. You can also email either coach: Ms. Ajani (fajani@irvingisd.net) or Mr. Smith (chsmith@irvingisd.net) and let us know you’re interested!