Kennedy High School’s Academic Decathlon team will continue this year but with new obstacles.

The decathlon team is in the process of recruiting members. This process has been made more difficult by the online format of school. It is a challenge to talk to those who may be interested in joining.

A major part of the team is their camaraderie. Abigail Pape,sr., a member of the decathlon team, is worried how the virtual setting will impact their sense of community and relationships.

“We like to encourage strong camaraderie among the team, which is tough when we only ‘see’ each other through video calls and communicate with emails,” Pape said.

Not only does the team have to adapt to being online, but they also have a new mentor this year, Devon Ashby. A new mentor can be a difficult change any year but especially this year where there are other changes as well. Ashby feels conflicted about this new role and her ability to fulfill it. 

“I’m excited and nervous at the same time… I have coached other things before but never something like this!” Ashby said.

Despite these challenges, the team is confident their performance will not be impacted.

“If our members put forth the effort I feel they can overcome these challenges and make it a memorable year!” Ashby said.