2026 -- H 8552

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

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

     Introduced By: Representatives Solomon, Blazejewski, Kazarian, Casimiro, Casey,
Chippendale, O'Brien, DeSimone, McNamara, and McEntee

     Date Introduced: May 14, 2026

     Referred To: House read and passed

     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 43rd 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 43rd 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 2026 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.

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