Academic Challenge 2006

Background

Academic Challenge is a statewide contest involving individual and interscholastic academic competition in seven areas: Chemistry, English, Math, Biology, Computer Fundamentals, Engineering Graphics, and Physics. Fourteen students plus alternates make up a team. Each student takes tests in two of the seven subject areas. The top two student’s scores in the school’s top five subject areas make up the school score. The five areas must include English, Chemistry, and Math.

Schools are divided into classes based on student population. Peoria Heights competes in the 300 and under category. The 26th regional competition was again hosted by ICC in February and the sectional by Bradley in March. The top two schools from each class advance to the sectional competition. Top schools at the sectional competitions may advance to the state competition at the University of Illinois.

Including all the divisions over 500 schools with approximately 7000 students compete each year. Headquarters for the WYSE Academic Challenge is at the U of I in the Department of Engineering. WYSE is an acronym for Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering. For more information contact WYSE at 800-843-5410 or access the web site at http://www.engr.uiuc.edu/wyse/

Current Information

The 2006 Academic Challenge participants include Kristen Burkart, Mike Casey, Greg Chamberlain, Briana Couve, Willow Crane, Jimmy Cresswell, Greg Gauf, Michael Hill, Erik Kepler, Ryan Latvaitis, Nick Lawrence, Nikki Markovich, Burl Rolett, Jeff Schwindenhammer, Julio Soto, Dylan Troxel, Tiffany Uhlig, and Hal Woo.

At the ICC Regionals the team was first. First place medallions were won by Willow Crane in biology, Jeff Schwindenhammer and Dylan Troxel in chemistry and Greg Chamberlain in Computers. Second place medallions were won by Dylan Troxel in biology, Greg Gauf in Chemistry, Mike Hill and Ryan Latvaitis in computers and Jimmy Cresswell and Hal Woo in physics. A third place medallion was won by Nick Lawrence in English.

The 2006 Regional Championship WYSE Team.

At the Bradley Sectional contest the team was second to St. Bede. First place medallions were won by Dylan Troxel in Biology and Jeff Schwindenhammer in chemistry. Second place medallions were earned by Ryan Latvaitis in English, Hal Woo in graphics, and Dylan Troxel in chemistry. Third place medallions were awarded to Jimmy Cresswell in physics, Willow Crane in biology, and Nick Lawrence in computer fundamentals.

The 2006 Sectional Championship Team.

At the U of I State contest the team was eighth (fourth among the public schools). Dylan placed sixth in biology. This was the first time since 2000 the team qualified for the state contest at the U of I. There were approximately 386 participants from 23 teams plus another 44 schools with individual contestants. The PHHS team has qualified for the state contest seven times. Those teams were 1994 (fourth), 1995 (ninth), 1996 (seventh), 1997 (third), 1998 (fourth), 2000 (eighth), and 2006 (eighth).

Teachers assisting in the contest include Ellen Tallon for biology, Jerry Crumrine for math, Kathy Allen for English, John Smith for graphics, and Jeff Vallosio for chemistry, physics, and coordinating.