Students receive honors at WYSE event

Students from Union County high schools achieved honors at the annual Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering, WYSE, Academic Challenged hosted by Shawnee Community College near Ullin.

The academic competition was held Thursday, Feb. 8.

Eleven of 12 high schools in the college’s district competed in the academic challenge. 

Participating high schools are separated into two divisions based on their enrollment: 

Division 300: Century Unit District No. 100 at Ullin, Goreville Community Unit No. 1, Joppa High School, Dongola Unit District No. 66, Cobden High School, Cairo High School, Shawnee High School at Wolf Lake and Meridian Unit High School at Mounds. 

Division 700: Anna-Jonesboro Community High School, Vienna High School and Massac County High School.

Students from the high schools each take tests in the subject areas of biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering graphics, English, math and physics.

The school teams that placed first, second or third in Division 300 and teams that placed first or second in Division 700 advance to the WYSE sectional, which is scheduled March 14 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Individuals who received first or second place medallions can advance to the WYSE sectional, regardless of how their school team placed in the top rankings for their division.

Results achieved by students from Union County and their schools follow, as provided by the college:

Division 300

Cobden High School students placed second with a total score of 445.5 points in the Division 300 schools.  Goreville won the division. Century was third.

Individual Cobden students who received medallions included:

Joseph Brumleve, first, chemistry.

Tori Brummer, first, computer science.

Lauren Sweitzer, third, EngGraphics; third, math.

Jamison Cowart, first, English.

John Russell, third, English.

Chatrin Lamiedvipakul, first, math.

Madison Bundren, second, math.

Rosendo Martinez, third, math.

Individuals taking home medallions included:

McKenzy Rowan, Dongola Unit District No. 66, third, math.

Megan Theis, Dongola Unit District No. 66, third, math.

Chapman Hill, Shawnee High School, third, physics.

Division 700 

Anna-Jonesboro Community High School won Division 700 with a total of 493.1 points. Massac County was second and Vienna was third.

Individual A-JCHS students who received medallions included:

Katie Mays, second, biology.

Madi Johnston, third, biology.

Ender Schmidt, third, biology; first, math.

Hunter Miller, first, chemistry; third, English.

Jacob Eddleman, third, computer science; third, physics.

Colton Goins, first, English; third, math.

Connar Hadley, third, math.

Bryce Massey, first, physics.

Madi Johnston, second, physics.

“On behalf of Shawnee Community College I want to say thank you to all of the coaches and students for participating in WYSE this year," Shawnee Community College WYSE competition coordinator Sheryl Ribbing said.

"I was honored to have an opportunity to see these excellent students compete and receive recognition for their hard work and academic excellence. 

"These students are some of the best and brightest from our district high schools.”