The South Decatur High School six-member fine arts academic team won the area competition earlier this month in its division while simultaneously outscoring the bigger schools. The team is primed to move on to the upcoming state competition.

The team will travel to Purdue University in West Lafayette to compete in the early morning contest. The competition will take place on Saturday May 3.

While the fine arts team may be the only one from South traveling to state, the English team did finish in first in the area in its division. The team missed qualifying for the state contest by just one correct answer. The math, science, and interdisciplinary teams each finished with a second in the area in the division.

The fine arts academic team has focused its studies solely on one topic, as the contest at state will do the same.

“This year’s topic was the American Civil War,” coach Nicole Skirvin said.

The fine arts team will not need to know battle history or the politics of the war. Rather, the team will concentrate on visual art and music, paintings, painters, instrument making, mass production of instruments and many other related topics, according to Skirvin.

“We won the conference meet and the area meet, and the kids made it a goal at the beginning of the year to make it to state, and they made it,” she added.

To make it to the state competition, only five teams from the division are chosen from Indiana.

“We are tied for third going in,” Skirvin said. “We’re all very excited. I’m not sure who’s more excited, me or the kids.”

The contest on May 3 will include competitions for all academic teams, including math, science, social studies, English and an interdisciplinary quiz.

To prepare for such a daunting challenge, the students put in much time studying, either as part of the team or individual, Skirvin said. Books and study guides are provided for the students, but they also listen to music and study paintings.

While at the meet, the students will work together to answer the difficult questions. The team will be provided with the questions from a master of ceremonies, and will have a personal independent proctor. All questions will be multiple choice, and the team will have only 30 seconds to come up with an answer. The team members will discuss briefly and then have their captain circle the answer they think is correct. The winner will be determined by having the most correct answers out of the 25 questions.

The students will continue studying and practicing until the May 3 state competition.

South’s fine arts academic team members include Ellie Armand, Brent Johnson, Felicia McNealy, Elizabeth Ralston, Megan Ritchie and Cassie Weaver.