No doubt about it, Scarborough Red Storm teams have a way of dominating on the playing field. Their red jerseys often leave a blurry hue as they run circles around their opponents and snatch up championship plaques and gold balls.

However, there’s another preeminent team at the high school we don’t hear as much about. The Academic Decathlon team at Scarborough High School shares its sporting counterparts’ propensity toward domination. The nine-member team recently proved yet again that off the playing field, the Red Storm are a force to be reckoned with as well.

On March 1, the team secured an amazing 10th straight statewide title in Academic Decathlon, which tests high-school students in 10 scholastic disciplines including art history, science, music, math, social science, economics and language/literature. They also have to write an essay, give a speech, and be interviewed about the subject by a panel of judges.

We applaud the nine team members for keeping the title in Scarborough. They no doubt felt some added pressure to keep the streak alive, and they came through. Their win also garnered much press coverage, seeing it was their 10th in a row. And while members of sports teams are usually the ones to receive public accolades, it’s nice to see kids involved with academics hailed, as well.

The team isn’t quite done yet, however. With its state win, Scarborough has qualified for the U.S. Academic Decathlon competition, held April 24-25 in Honolulu. They’ll be competing against bright students from around the country. We’re not sure why the annual competition is being held in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, which will only ramp up airline prices, but nevertheless, going to an island paradise, especially during Maine’s mud season (if it ever comes this year), and competing for a national title is a chance of a lifetime.

The team has put a lot of effort into their studies and now it’s the community’s turn to show support. Much as boosters raise money to keep sports teams going, the Academic Decathlon team could use some financial aid getting to the national competition. The kids need to raise $15,000 for the big trip and are soliciting donations online at http://www.youcaring.com/other/help-shs-academic-decathlon-team-get-to-nationals-/107925.

We believe money donated to this impressive team will be money well spent. Studying for Academic Decathlon is a great way for students to spend their time. This year, the competitors have been exploring World War I. They’ve read books written during the 1910s, listened to music composed then, and studied factors that led to The Great War.

The competition also has a practical payoff, since it prepares them for the next level of their education. High school is more of a survey experience, with students learning a little about a lot. Going deep into one subject occurs in college. Any exposure to in-depth study gives them a taste of what college will be like.

So, while many Scarborough residents attend athletic contests and spend their money on tickets and concessions, which both help support the teams, a few dollars tossed in the kitty for the Hawaii trip is a good investment, too. Go, Red Storm!

–John Balentine, managing editor