Little Elm High School

Little Elm High School
Little Elm High School logo
School Founded
Team Established	2005, 2016
History
City	Little Elm, Texas
Team Colors	Navy and Gold
Principal	Renee Pentecost
Head Coach	Kelly Shackelton
Associate/Other Head Coach(es)	Jason Hiller, Jessi Vericker
National Championships	None
State Championships	None
Regional/County Championships	1 (2016)
Region/County Location	Region IV (2016), Region VIII (2017)
Highest Finish	45,699.6 5th (2018)
School Website	http://www.littleelmisd.net/

School Profile

Little Elm High School is a public high school located in the city of Little Elm, Texas, United States and classified as a 5A school by the University Interscholastic League (UIL). It is a part of the Little Elm Independent School District located in east central Denton County. In 2015, the school was rated "Met Standard" by the Texas Education Agency. -Wikipedia

Team History

Little Elm's Academic Decathlon program was founded during the 2005-2006 season. They competed in the small school competition in Region XII, where they placed 4th overall, qualifying them for state. There, the team fielded a little over 26,000 points, placing them in 15th place. The team had another run until the end of the 2006-2007 season, when it was disbanded until its resurrection in the 2015. Sean Duffey, previously the assistant coach at South Garland High School, and Julie Brown, previously the coach at Aubrey High School, built a new team from scratch and won first place in the Region IV competition with a score of 42,000, breaking the streak of a team that has won their regional competition for the last 7 years. Duffey and his team would later go on to state, fielding a score of 45,422.7 points and placing 6th overall in the Medium School Category. Duffey, after three years of hard work, decided to for fill his dream and moved to Colorado. He has left the team in the hands of Mrs. Kelly Shackelton, Jason Hiller, and Jessi Vericker.

Team Finishes

Year	Division	Regionals Score	Region Rank	State Score	State Rank
2023	Large	23,469	12	DNQ	DNQ
2022	Large	30,396	7	DNQ	DNQ
2021	Medium	N/A	N/A	32,226.5
2020	Medium	34,045.4	7	DNQ	DNQ
2019	Medium	36,924.2	4	39,682.0	20
2018	Medium	44,297.8	4	45,699.6	5
2017	Medium	45,444.1	3	45,801.1	6
2016	Medium	42,267.1	1	45,422.7	6
2007- 2015	-	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC
2006	Small	27,529	5	27,266.7	12
2005	Small	Unknown	4	26,054.1	15

Individual State Scores

Updated as of 2018.

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Diego Raygoza	2018	8,387.1
2	Daniel Cardenas	2017	8,301.9
3	Joshua Arrojado	2017	8,103.3
4	Ryan Wong	2017	8,021.7
5	Melodie Malithong	2018	7,931.0

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Jake "Paul" Mooney	2017	8,117.0
2	Jake "Paul" Mooney	2016	8,004.7
3	Cesar Guerrero	2018	7,466.1
4	Dennis Mills	2018	7,453.4
5	Nabihah Shah	2017	7,219.9

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	James Cope	2016	7,589.0
2	Katy Laitinen	2018	7,487.0
3	Tessa Castellow	2016	7,349.7
4	Trevor Jackson	2017	7,047.6
5	Matthew Musteen	2017	7,011.4

Overall Objective Scores

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Daniel Cardenas	2017	6,142.9
2	Diego Raygoza	2018	5,877.1
3	Joshua Arrojado	2017	5,788.6
4	Melodie Malithong	2018	5,520.0
5	Ryan Wong	2017	5,431.4

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Jake Mooney	2017	5,525.7
2	Jake Mooney	2016	5,451.4
3	Dennis Mills	2018	5,051.4
4	Cesar Guerrero	2018	4,897.1
5	Mirna Ordonez	2018	4,868.6

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Katy Laitinen	2018	4,920.0
2	James Cope	2016	4,911.5
3	Tessa Castellow	2016	4,891.4
4	Britney Meighen	2018	4,680.0
5	Trevor Jackson	2017	4,474.2

Individual Objective Scores

Social Science

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Melodie Malithong	2018	940
2	Melissa Chitakunye	2018	900
3	Josh Arrojado	2017	860
4	Daniel Cardenas	2017	840
4	Diego Raygoza	2018	840
5	Emily Garcia	2016	740

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Dennis Mills	2018	780
2	Jake Mooney	2017	760
2	Mirna Ordonez	2018	760
3	Cesar Guerrero	2018	660
4	Jake Mooney	2016	520
4	Nabihah Shah	2017	520
5	Tinashe Gandhle	2016	500
5	Daniel Larin	2017	500

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Katy Laitinen	2018	880
2	James Cope	2016	800
3	Britney Meighen	2018	700
4	Matthew Musteen	2017	680
5	Tessa Castellow	2016	660

Economics

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Daniel Cardenas	2017	940
2	Emily Garcia	2016	880
2	Josh Arrojado	2017	880
3	Ryan Wong	2016	840
3	Elanna Merrill	2016	840
3	Ryan Wong	2017	840
4	Diego Raygoza	2018	780
5	Melissa Chitakunye	2018	680

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Jake Mooney	2016	940
1	Blake Warner	2016	940
2	Jake Mooney	2017	880
3	Daniel Larin	2017	840
4	Nabihah Shah	2017	740
5	Tinashe Gandhle	2016	620

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Tessa Castellow	2016	860
2	James Cope	2016	840
3	Matthew Musteen	2016	820
4	Trevor Jackson	2017	760
5	Matthew Musteen	2017	740
5	Joshua Kint	2017	740

Art

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Ryan Wong	2017	920
2	Josh Arrojado	2017	880
2	Melissa Chitakunye	2018	880
3	Diego Raygoza	2018	820
3	Melodie Malithong	2018	820
4	Daniel Cardenas	2017	760
5	Emily Garcia	2016	640
5	Ryan Wong	2016	640

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Jake Mooney	2017	800
1	Dennis Mills	2018	800
2	Nabihah Shah	2017	720
2	Mirna Ordonez	2018	720
3	Jake Mooney	2016	680
4	Cesar Guerrero	2018	660
5	Blake Warner	2016	600

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Matthew Musteen	2017	700
1	Joshua Kint	2017	700
2	Tessa Castellow	2016	680
3	Katy Laitinen	2018	640
4	James Cope	2016	560
4	Britney Meighen	2018	560
5	Trevor Jackson	2017	540

Music

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Daniel Cardenas	2017	900
2	Diego Raygoza	2018	860
3	Josh Arrojado	2017	820
4	Ryan Wong	2017	780
5	Melodie Malithong	2018	760

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Cesar Guerrero	2018	800
2	Dennis Mills	2018	740
3	Jake Mooney	2016	720
3	Daniel Larin	2017	720
3	Nabihah Shah	2017	720
3	Mirna Ordonez	2018	720
4	Jake Mooney	2017	680
5	Unknown	2006	480

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Britney Meighen	2018	780
2	Katy Laitinen	2018	720
3	Trevor Jackson	2017	700
4	Joshua Kint	2017	640
5	James Cope	2016	600
5	Joseph Startz	2018	600

Literature

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Diego Raygoza	2018	900
2	Melissa Chitakunye	2018	860
3	Emily Garcia	2016	840
3	Melodie Malithong	2018	840
4	Ryan Wong	2016	800
5	Elanna Merrill	2016	740

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Jake Mooney	2016	840
2	Cesar Guerrero	2018	820
3	Blake Warner	2016	780
3	Mirna Ordonez	2018	780
4	Dennis Mills	2018	680
5	Tinashe Gandhle	2016	640

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Britney Meighen	2018	820
2	Katy Laitinen	2018	780
3	Tessa Castellow	2016	760
4	James Cope	2016	660
5	Joseph Startz	2018	620

Science

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Ryan Wong	2016	880
1	Emily Garcia	2016	880
2	Elanna Merril	2016	840
3	Diego Raygoza	2018	820
4	Melodie Malithong	2018	760
5	Melissa Chitakunye	2018	680

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Jake Mooney	2016	980
2	Blake Warner	2016	960
3	Cesar Guerrero	2018	700
4	Tinashe Gandhle	2016	680
4	Dennis Mills	2018	680
5	Mirna Ordonez	2018	660

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	James Cope	2016	880
2	Tessa Castellow	2016	860
3	Matthew Musteen	2016	820
4	Katy Laitinen	2018	780
5	Britney Meighen	2018	720

Mathematics

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Diego Raygoza	2018	857.1
2	Melodie Malithong	2018	800.0
3	Ryan Wong	2016	657.1
3	Melissa Chitakunye	2018	657.1
4	Holly Roby	2005	440.0
5	Elanna Merrill	2016	428.6
5	Emily Garcia	2016	428.6

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Jake Mooney	2016	771.4
1	Dennis Mills	2018	771.4
2	Cesar Guerrero	2018	657.1
3	Blake Warner	2016	628.6
3	Mirna Ordonez	2018	628.6
4	Unknown	2006	457.1

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Joseph Startz	2018	657.1
2	Katy Laitinen	2018	600.0
2	Britney Meighen	2018	600.0
3	James Cope	2016	571.4
3	Tessa Castellow	2016	571.4
4	Ryan Fisher	2005	320.0
5	Unknown	2006	314.3
5	Matthew Musteen	2016	314.3

Overall Subjective Scores

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Ryan Wong	2016	2,687.0
2	Ryan Wong	2017	2,590.3
3	Elanna Merrill	2016	2,510.0
3	Diego Raygoza	2018	2,510.0
4	Emily Garcia	2016	2,462.0
5	Melodie Malithong	2018	2,411.0

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Jake Mooney	2017	2,591.3
2	Cesar Guerrero	2018	2,569.0
3	Jake Mooney	2016	2,553.3
4	Daniel Larin	2017	2,551.0
5	Blake Warner	2016	2,548.0

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	James Cope	2016	2,677.6
2	Matthew Musteen	2017	2,580.0
3	Trevor Jackson	2017	2,573.4
4	Katy Laitinen	2018	2,567.0
5	Joshua Kint	2017	2,512.7

Individual Subjective Scores

Speech

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Diego Raygoza	2018	925.0
2	Melodie Malithong	2018	900.0
3	Elanna Merrill	2016	883.3
4	Ryan Wong	2016	853.3
5	Emily Garcia	2016	836.7

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Cesar Guerrero	2018	945.0
2	Tinashe Gandhle	2016	940.0
3	Dennis Mills	2018	915.0
4	Blake Warner	2016	906.7
5	Blanca Ramirez	2005	806.7

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Joseph Startz	2018	955.0
2	James Cope	2016	913.3
3	Katy Laitinen	2018	880.0
4	Britney Meighen	2018	855.0
5	Matthew Musteen	2016	800.0

Interview

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Melissa Chitakunye	2018	990.0
2	Ryan Wong	2016	946.7
3	Diego Raygoza	2018	930.0
4	Jacob Brennecke	2005	916.7
5	Holly Roby	2005	910.0

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Jake Mooney	2016	980.0
2	Blake Warner	2016	973.3
3	Unknown	2006	900.0
4	Cesar Guerrero	2018	720.0
5	Mirna Ordonez	2018	700.0

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Tessa Castellow	2016	973.3
2	James Cope	2016	943.3
3	Katy Laitinen	2018	890.0
4	Matthew Musteen	2016	850.0
5	Joseph Startz	2018	780.0

Essay

Honors

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Ryan Wong	2016	887
2	Elanna Merril	2016	750
3	Emily Garcia	2016	742
4	Diego Raygoza	2018	655
5	Melodie Malithong	2018	641

Scholastic

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	Mirna Ordonez	2018	914
2	Cesar Guerrero	2018	904
3	Dennis Mills	2018	817
4	Jake Mooney	2016	770
5	Blanca Ramirez	2005	688

Varsity

Rank	Student	Year	Score
1	James Cope	2016	821
2	Katy Laitinen	2018	797
3	Tessa Castellow	2016	775
4	Britney Meighen	2018	730
5	Sam Roberts	2005	725