The Academic Decathlon team brought home the second place State title on Feb. 12. The three-day competition was at Purdue University.

Emily Weerakkody, club president and junior said, “We were confident we would do pretty good, but not as well as we did.”

Weerakkody said the team competed against about 14 other schools from all over the state. Also, CHS was the only team that did not have paid coaches.

“We were the only team that really wanted to be there,” Weerakkody said.

Club sponsor Wendy Gerardot said she could not have been more proud of her team.

“The kids did a great job without any real coaching from me,” Gerardot said via email. According to Gerardot, plenty of bronze, silver and gold medals were awarded throughout the weekend.

Weerakkody described the atmosphere as a mixture of both stress and excitement.

“The competing part was really nerve-wracking, but the in between stuff with the team was so much fun,” she said.

The next step for the team is the upcoming national competition, where the team will compete online. Weerakkody and Gerardot said they are not sure on the details, but the team will have a meeting sometime soon to discuss the plans for the competition.

Weerakkody said, “I think we’ll be ready for anything.”