More than 200 of the region’s top students gathered Wednesday at Rend Lake College, putting their academic skills to the test in the annual Academic Challenge. Participants from area high schools competed in subjects including biology, chemistry, computer science, English, engineering graphics, mathematics, and physics.
High schools represented at the event included Benton, Christopher, Hamilton County, Mt. Vernon, Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (NCOE), Pinckneyville, Sesser-Valier, Thompsonville, Waltonville, Wayne City, Webber, Woodlawn, and Zeigler-Royalton. Students from Wayne City, Hamilton County, and NCOE were among the top performers.
2026 ACADEMIC CHALLENGE TEAM WINNERS:
1st Place: Hamilton County Senior High School
2nd Place: Mt. Vernon Township High School
3rd Place: Benton Consolidated High School
INDIVIDUAL WINNERS BY CATEGORY:
Biology
1st: Bryan Vogt (Hamilton County)
2nd: Adalynn Sandelbach (Mt. Vernon)
3rd: Lily Houle (Mt. Vernon), Keegan Neikes (Sesser-Valier)
Chemistry
1st: Greyson Goebel (NCOE)
2nd: Catelyn Allen (Mt. Vernon)
3rd: Wyatt McCormick (NCOE), Jace Cross (Hamilton County)
Computer Science
1st: Charles Romines (Mt. Vernon), Bryan Vogt (Hamilton County)
2nd: Tania Onate (Pinckneyville), Kale Laswell (Hamilton County)
3rd: Eowyn Smith (Wayne City), True Claytor (Hamilton County)
English
1st: Riley Parrish (Mt. Vernon)
2nd: Aiden Yenne (Waltonville)
3rd: Teiryn Andrews (Webber)
Engineering Graphics
1st: Cayden Thiele (Benton)
2nd: Kale Laswell (Hamilton County)
3rd: Willis Morris (Benton), Rayce Reynolds (Hamilton County)
Mathematics
1st: Cole Hamson (Hamilton County), Cohen White (Hamilton County), Jordan Sledge (Mt. Vernon)
2nd: Teiryn Andrews (Webber), Landon Sveda (Christopher), Riley Parrish (Mt. Vernon), Love Rojek (Pinckneyville)
3rd: Kaylee Bullard (Wayne City), Ava Minor (Wayne City), Addie Kellerman (Pinckneyville)
Physics
1st: Elija Schlag (Benton)
2nd: Ethan Muller (Mt. Vernon)
3rd: Braylon Phillips (NCOE), Keaton Page (Woodlawn)
Catapult Design Challenge Winner: Woodlawn High School
Congratulations to all participants and winners for their outstanding achievements at this year’s Academic Challenge.