Schools Compete in WYSE Academic Challenge Sectional at McKendree

Governor French, Freeburg, Centralia and Edwardsville Take Top Team Honors

Lebanon, Ill. — Students from 31 southwestern Illinois high schools competed in the Illinois Sectional tournament of the 2013 Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) Academic Challenge, held on March 11 at McKendree University. The top schools in each division, based on enrollment size, were Governor French Academy (under 300); Freeburg (300 to 700); Centralia (700 to 1,500); and Edwardsville (over 1,500), which posted the highest team score of the day.

Participants came from Bond County (Greenville), Breese Central, Carlyle, Centralia, Chester, Christ Our Rock Lutheran (Centralia), Collinsville, Dupo, Edwardsville, Freeburg, Gibault (Waterloo), Governor French Academy (Belleville), Highland, Lebanon, Marissa, Mascoutah, Mater Dei (Breese), Mulberry Grove, Nashville, O’Fallon, Odin, Okawville, Red Bud, Salem, Sandoval, South Central (Farina), Sparta, Vandalia, Waterloo, Wesclin (Trenton) and Woodlawn.

Eight teams and 58 top scorers advance to the state finals in Champaign next month.

McKendree-bound seniors who attend one of the university’s scholarship events and also place in the top three in their school’s division at the WYSE Academic Challenge are eligible for academic scholarships.

It is the tenth year that the university has hosted the competition. Dr. Jim Feher, professor of computer science and computer information systems at McKendree, chairs the WYSE advisory board. “It’s fantastic to give recognition to so many outstanding young students for their achievement in the STEM areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics," he said.

WYSE’s purpose is to advance excellence in science and mathematics and to promote careers in engineering and the sciences. The Academic Challenge is a competitive series of multiple-choice tests in seven subjects, designed to motivate talented high school students to greater achievement.

Competing individually and as in divisions based on their school’s enrollment size, students are tested on biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering graphics, English, math and physics. Test material is drawn from senior high school and freshman level college curricula and written by college and university faculty. Exams of increasing levels of difficulty are given at the regional, sectional and state finals.

Bond County

Breese Central

Carlyle

Centralia

Chester

Christ Our Rock Lutheran

Collinsville

Dupo

Edwardsville

Freeburg

Gibault

Governor French Academy

Highland

Lebanon

Marissa

Mascoutah

Mater Dei

Mulberry Grove

Nashville

O’Fallon

Odin

Okawville

Red Bud

Salem

Sandoval

South Central

Sparta

Vandalia

Waterloo

Wesclin

Woodlawn

 

-McK-

 

McKendree University ranks among the top quarter of regional universities nationwide in the 2013 U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” report. It is also a College of Distinction, among “America’s 100 Best College Buys,” and recognized as a “Military Friendly School” by Victory Media for 2013. Founded in 1828, the historic Lebanon, Ill., campus is 25 miles from downtown St. Louis. www.mckendree.edu