Modoc County Academic Decathlon Team Advances to State Competition

Modoc High School claims first place, qualifies for California State Academic Decathlon

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The 2026 Modoc County Academic Decathlon was a success, with Modoc High School's Kaitlin Nield earning the highest individual score and the school's team claiming first place overall. Modoc High School's team will now advance to the California State Academic Decathlon competition in March.

Why it matters

The Academic Decathlon is a prestigious academic competition that tests students' knowledge across multiple subjects. Modoc County's strong performance, with all three high schools participating, showcases the academic excellence of the region's students and the quality of their education programs.

The details

In individual competition, Modoc High School's Kaitlin Nield earned top honors with 6,714 points, followed by Surprise Valley High School's Juba Mefford with 4,506 points and Tulelake High School's Yaritza Silva with 3,795 points. In the team standings, Modoc High School claimed first place with 32,375 points, Surprise Valley High School placed second with 26,598 points, and Tulelake High School earned third with 21,767 points. Modoc High School's team will now advance to the California State Academic Decathlon competition in March.

  • The 2026 Modoc County Academic Decathlon was held in February 2026.
  • The California State Academic Decathlon competition is scheduled for March 19-22, 2026 in Santa Clara, California.
  • The national U.S. Academic Decathlon competition will be held April 23-25, 2026 in Garden Grove, California.

The players

Kaitlin Nield

A student at Modoc High School who earned the highest individual score of 6,714 points in the 2026 Modoc County Academic Decathlon.

Juba Mefford

A student at Surprise Valley High School who earned the second highest individual score of 4,506 points in the 2026 Modoc County Academic Decathlon.

Yaritza Silva

A student at Tulelake High School who earned the third highest individual score of 3,795 points in the 2026 Modoc County Academic Decathlon.

Modoc High School

The high school that claimed first place in the 2026 Modoc County Academic Decathlon with a total team score of 32,375 points, qualifying them for the California State Academic Decathlon competition.

Modoc County Office of Education

The organization that congratulated all participating students and extended best wishes to the Modoc High School team as they prepare for the state competition.

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What they’re saying

“The Modoc County Office of Education congratulates all participating students and extends best wishes to the Modoc High School team as they prepare for the state competition.”

— Modoc County Office of Education (sierradailynews.com)

What’s next

The Modoc High School Academic Decathlon team will compete in the California State Academic Decathlon competition in Santa Clara, California from March 19-22, 2026.

The takeaway

Modoc County's strong performance in the 2026 Academic Decathlon, with all three high schools participating and Modoc High School qualifying for the state competition, demonstrates the academic excellence and quality of education programs in the region. The competition highlights the hard work and dedication of the students, coaches, and educators who make these achievements possible.