A student from Perry High School discusses the success of an academic regional competition, as eight members prepare for state, beginning tomorrow.

High School Activities Director Tina Lutterman highlights that Perry’s Academic Decathlon Team marked a fourth place finish in the small school division at regionals in late January at Urbandale High School and The Kurtz Opportunity Center in Des Moines. Senior Ashley Robles, who is one of eight members on the team, tells Raccoon Valley Radio that she joined as a freshmen to bond more with her sister, who was a senior at the time. 

She indicates that during regionals, the team had to complete a four minute speech, a two minute impromptu speech; followed by an interview, and had to pass a test consisting of science, social science, math, art, music, and economics. Robles expresses that she was joyful when she found out that Perry advanced to the state competition.

“I felt very happy (be)cause I just like going to state. There’s just more people to know around the state of Iowa, instead of just being like in Perry, where you’re just around the following counties.”

Robles admits that she enjoys getting to know her classmates on the team better and that being involved with the academic decathlon club has allowed her to make more friends. Robles, along with her classmates of Anthony Aguilar, Alexandra Aguilar, Avery Johnson, Berve Poulard, Elyssa Hodges, Darlene Gonzalez, and Lily Navarrete, will compete at state in Waterloo tomorrow and Saturday.