Butler High School, located in Northeast Texas, is going through some changes. A new principal has just taken up post: Mrs. Cross. She has observed that many of the more popular clubs are clubs that do not have anything to do with academics or athletics; the ones that do have barely enough members to stay active. Not only are the students who attend Butler not competing in major events that would bring in way more money and recognition than they're getting, but their grades are falling as well. As a result, Principal Cross has disbanded all non-athletic and non-academic clubs; so since all students are required to be part of at least one club, she believes this will bring the students' grades up as well as bring in more money to the school.

Unfortunately, among those disbanded is Butler High's Gay-Straight Alliance club.

But, the teachers who had once run the GSA have found a loophole; if they could get their members to compete in some sort of athletic or academic competition, Principal Cross would have to let them stay.

When she heard this, Principal Cross reluctantly agreed; she allowed the club to exist if and only if they competed in an athletic or academic competition. But she gave them a new requirement; the club must place in the top three in order to stay, and she must approve the competition.

But when the club leaders can't settle on one competition because of the group diversity, Principal Cross steps in with a specific competition: the National GSA Decathalon, a tournament where high school GSAs compete against each other in ten events to advance from districts to state, then to regional, then finally national.