Congratulating and Recognizing the Members and Coach of the Wheeler School Team on Their 1st Place Victory at the 43rd Rhode Island Academic Decathlon and Congratulating the Team on Their Success at the National Academic Decathlon on April 23-25, 2026

WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Academic Decathlon was co-founded by John Howell, publisher of the Warwick Beacon, in December of 1983, and is open to all public, private and parochial high schools in Rhode Island; and

WHEREAS, This rigorous competition tests the brain power and overall knowledge and thinking skills of high school entrants from across the State in ten subject areas ranging from art to math, as well as economics, essay, interview, language and literature, music, science, social science, and speech; and

WHEREAS, The rd annual Rhode Island Academic Decathlon was held on March 1, 2026, at Bryant University, with seventeen Rhode Island high schools and more than 200 students competing. The Decathlon included both a team competition component and also awards Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals to distinguished individuals for their outstanding achievements; and

WHEREAS, The theme for this year's Academic Decathlon was “The Roaring Twenties”, and it focused on the history, culture, and rapid changes that occurred in the 1920s, across ten subject categories; and

WHEREAS, The Wheeler School repeated as Rhode Island Academic Decathlon Champions in 2026. Members of the winning team included Chichi Minami, Philip Spradlin, Daniel Shea, Angela D’Amico, Kiara Jin, Austin Nolan, Amelia Collins, Thomas Hutchinson and Shay Smith. The Wheeler team was superbly led by Coach Dayna Cueva Alegria; and

WHEREAS, The Senior Gold Medal winners at the rd Rhode Island Academic Decathlon were Donovan Turner from Classical High School, Saige Hodges and Sydney Pavao from Coventry High School, Kristi Prestly from Cranston West High School, Rosalind Bassen- Alexander and Savanna Tickner from East Greenwich High School, Amir Depina from North Providence High School, Preston Maong from South Kingstown High School, Jaylene Le from Toll Gate High School, and Thomas Hutchinson, Chichi Minami, and Philip Spradlin from the Wheeler School; and

WHEREAS, At the National Academic Decathlon finals, Wheeler School team member Daniel Shea earned a Gold Medal in Science, a Silver Medal in Essay and a Bronze Medal in Math, and fellow team member Philip Spradlin earned a Silver Medal in Math; and

WHEREAS, It is fitting and essential to recognize our youth and to celebrate their accomplishments. The Wheeler School team members exemplify everything that young people can achieve, and they are truly deserving of our recognition and praise; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby congratulates the Wheeler School team and their coach on their repeat victory at the 20 Rhode Island Academic Decathlon; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Dayna Cueva Alegria, Coach of the Decathlon Team for the Wheeler School.