Press contact: Angela Try

SPRINGFIELD — Approximately 140 students from nine area high schools competed in the regional Academic Challenge on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Lincoln Land Community College.
    
Students competed as individuals and as teams (of up to 14 students) testing in their choice of two subjects — biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering graphics, English, mathematics and physics. The tests are written by teams of college and university faculty and designed to present a challenge to high school students.
    
All teams will advance to sectional competition, which will be held virtually March 2-17. Teams will report their scores, which will be compared statewide to determine the overall state winners for each division (both individual and team).

Two $500 LLCC Foundation scholarships were awarded at the event. Kaiyah Bubniak from Pleasant Plains High School and Westyn Leonard from Jacksonville High School were selected at random from all participants in the Academic Challenge as the recipients.

The competition at LLCC was hosted by LLCC and organized by area academic challenge coaches.

Division 300 teams participating: Athens, Mount Pulaski, New Berlin, Pawnee

Team Rankings

First – Pawnee High School
Second – Athens High School

Individual Rankings

Biology
First – Ashley Nicholson, Athens 
Second – Jacob Collier, Athens
Third – Logan Skinner, Pawnee

Chemistry  
First – Matt Kapinus, New Berlin
Second – Izabella Urbanckas, Pawnee
Third – Chase Roberts, Mount Pulaski; Vincent Tabor, Mt. Pulaski

Computer Science
First – Carter Clair, New Berlin
Second – Hayden Masters, Pawnee
Third – Eden Nelson, Athens

Engineering Graphics
First – Leah Sunley, New Berlin
Second – Carson Contreras, Pawnee
Third – Lane Megginson, Pawnee

English    
First – Carter Clair, New Berlin
Second – Maycee Shoemaker, New Berlin; Eden Nelson, Athens
Third – Mae McTaggart, Pawnee

Mathematics
First – Jacob Collier, Athens; Aiden Roberts, Athens
Second – Brody Bilbruck, New Berlin; Carson Contreras, Pawnee; Lane Megginson, Pawnee
Third – Matt Kapinus, New Berlin

Physics    
First – Aiden Roberts, Athens
Second – Dean Martin, Mount Pulaski
Third – Morgan Faith, Pawnee

Division 700 teams participating: Auburn and Pleasant Plains

Team Rankings

First – Pleasant Plains High School
Second – Auburn High School

Individual Rankings

Biology
First – Hannah Essex, Auburn
Second – Iz Coleman, Pleasant Plains
Third – Ellie Harvey, Auburn; Hayleigh Woker, Auburn; Reese Megginson, Auburn; Noah Bergner, Pleasant Plains

Chemistry  
First – Ryleigh Hahn, Pleasant Plains
Second – Jack Sandel, Pleasant Plains
Third – Aubrey Payne, Pleasant Plains

Computer Science
First – Toby Nass Helfer, Pleasant Plains
Second – Noah Bergner, Pleasant Plains
Third – Aubrey Payne, Pleasant Plains

English    
First – Mikayla Blankenship, Pleasant Plains
Second – Ashley Vargas, Auburn
Third – Hannah Essex, Auburn

Mathematics
First – Ben Gross, Pleasant Plains
Second – Jacob Schnelten, Auburn
Third – Dallas Alvarez, Auburn; Joel Grove, Pleasant Plains

Physics    
First – Ben Gross, Pleasant Plains    
Second – Joel Gove, Pleasant Plains
Third – Colin Tribble, Pleasant Plains

Division 1500 teams participating: Glenwood, Jacksonville and Rochester

Team Rankings

First – Glenwood High School
Second – Jacksonville High School

Individual Rankings

Biology
First – Amelia Olson, Glenwood 
Second – Aarav Patel, Glenwood
Third – Cole Nebel, Jacksonville; Hannah Rollins, Rochester

Chemistry  
First – Annabel Mollerud, Glenwood; Connor Walker, Jacksonville
Second – Soren Transue, Rochester; Max Perrin, Rochester
Third – Cole Nebel, Jacksonville

Computer Science
First – Ben Stalets, Rochester
Second – Austin Keck, Glenwood; Brant McCulloch, Jacksonville
Third – Wania Syed, Glenwood; Charlie English, Jacksonville

Engineering Graphics
First – Brant McCulloch, Jacksonville
Second – Alex Graff, Rochester
Third – David Johnson, Rochester

English    
First – Flossie Redwood, Glenwood
Second – Nora Elder, Rochester
Third – Jamila Lanorio, Jacksonville

Mathematics
First – Aarav Patel, Glenwood
Second – Flossie Redood, Glenwood
Third – Wania Syed, Glenwood; Greta Bryson-Adams, Jacksonville

Physics    
First – David Johnson, Rochester
Second – Tim Lee, Rochester; Ben Stalets, Rochester
Third – Westyn Leonard, Jacksonville; Soren Transue, Rochester