MENIFEE - More than 180 students from 19 high schools will match wits today in the 30th annual Riverside County Academic Decathlon.

The teams will gather at Heritage High School in Menifee and spend the day writing essays, giving impromptu and prepared speeches and participating in oral interviews with judges, according to the county's Office of Education.

The second and final round of the competition will be held Feb. 2, when a "Super Quiz" playoff will test students' knowledge of historical and other salient events that occurred in "Russia," which is this year's theme.

Schools with teams participating are:

-- Beaumont High School;

-- Corona High School;

-- Elsinore High School in Lake Elsinore; Advertisement

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-- Great Oak High School in Temecula Valley;

-- Hemet High School;

-- Heritage High School;

-- La Sierra High School in Riverside;

-- Lakeside High School in Lake Elsinore;

-- Moreno Valley High School;

-- Norte Vista High School of Riverside;

-- North High School of Riverside;

-- Palm Desert High School;

-- Perris High School;

-- Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley;

-- Roosevelt High School in Corona;

-- Temecula Preparatory School;

-- Temescal Canyon High School in Corona;

-- Valley View High School in Moreno Valley; and

-- West Valley High School of Hemet.

The winning team will compete in the California Academic Decathlon, set for March 14-17 in Sacramento.