LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Several high schools are planning to face off this weekend in the Lake County Academic Decathlon competition.

The 38th annual California Academic Decathlon’s topic is “The 1960s: A Transformational Decade.”

Upper Lake High School, Clear Lake High School and Willits High School will compete this year, according to Erika Barrish of the Lake County Office of Education.

Students will compete in art, economics, music, language and literature, mathematics, science and social science, will give planned and impromptu speeches, participate in an interview and write an expository essay. The interview portion took place on Saturday.

The remainder of the competition, including the public portions of the event – the Super Quiz and awards – will take place beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, at Upper Lake High School. The awards will take place from 4 to 5 p.m.

Upper Lake High School is the returning champion.

Lake County’s Academic Decathlon students also are invited to compete in a poster and poetry competition that’s conducted in partnership with the Lake County Arts Council. Students can win cash prizes and have their work displayed at the Lake County Office of Education.

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