ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) -Westover Comprehensive High School’s Academic Decathlon team has been invited to compete at the national level.

The team appeared before the Dougherty County Commission, where leaders recognized them for their hard work.

Advisor Pamela Heard says the school’s mantra—reinforced by Principal William Chunn’s expectations—is what keeps students motivated.

“This is academic school, and we’re all about to academic focus,” Heard said. “And so, the students already know what the expectations are, and we try to meet those expectations.”

Several students spoke about the state competition, sharing how challenging it was to study but how the experience helped them build friendships.

“It’s very, very daunting. But Decathlon has been a great opportunity for me,” said Journey Jordan, a senior at Westover. “And I’ve met some amazing people like Jadon, Pramesh, all these people behind me. They are wonderful people.”

Some of the teams will compete in the national in-person competition, which will be hosted at Westover High School on April 25.

Westover is the only public school in Dougherty County to advance to the national level.

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