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Oakwood School Board honors National Merit finalists, state champions and academic teams
Summary
The Oakwood School Board recognized nine National Merit finalists from Oakwood High School, winter varsity scholar athletes, Academic Decathlon state champions and multiple speech and debate placings; coaches and students were publicly thanked.
The Oakwood School Board recognized students and coaches across several academic and athletic programs, highlighting National Merit finalists, winter scholar athletes, state speech and debate placings and the Academic Decathlon state championship team.
The Superintendent announced that nine Oakwood High School students advanced to National Merit finalist status for 2026 and invited them onstage for recognition, noting that it is a notable result for a district of roughly 2,000 students. The Superintendent summarized National Merit entry criteria and the scholarship pool (approximately 6,870 scholarships totaling about $26 million) as context for the recognition.
Lorie Morris, Academic Decathlon coach, described the team’s success and thanked assistant coaches Marie Jurgens and Jeff Bloomer; she noted the team will travel to Garden Grove, California, for the national competition. Morris said the program has grown and that this is her final year coaching the team.
Students from the Oakwood Number Jacks math club and Oakwood speech and debate team were also recognized. Student speakers included Sophia (describing club activities and strategy practices), Luther (who said he designed the club logo), and Jacob Gentry (who praised coaches and parents for support). Coach and staff praise and a series of individual names for state finalists and place‑winners were read aloud by board staff.
The recognitions were presented as ceremonial items; no formal board votes were required or recorded for these acknowledgments.
