Area’s Top Students Compete in Annual WYSE Competition at SIC

High school students from the area converged on the campus of Southeastern Illinois College last month to take a series of regional exams as part of the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) academic competition. 

Regional winners, both in team and individual competition, qualify for sectional exams, which will be held later this month at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC).  Illinois state finals are scheduled for April 10-11 at University of Illinois in Champaign.

Exams administered during the three levels of WYSE competition are designed to test students’ knowledge of biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering graphics, English, math, and physics. 

Jason Fitzgerald, chair of the Math and Science Division at the college, along with Dr. Mila Maring-Sims, anatomy and physiology instructor at SIC and regional WYSE director, hosted the event.

“The WYSE competition is not only a great experience for our local high school students, but it is also a great experience for our SIC students,” said Fitzgerald. 

Fitzgerald noted that many of the Math & Science Club students who volunteered their time to help with the event are former WYSE participants and they look forward to the time when they  can again be part of the WYSE competition by proctoring and grading exams, handing out awards, and helping out in any way possible. 

“The WYSE competition is always fun for those involved and provides students and faculty with many lasting memories,” remarked Fitzgerald.

Team and individual results are listed below.  Teams marked with an asterisk move on to the sectional competition at SIUC, and individuals marked with an asterisk, who are not members of an advancing team, are allowed to take the sectional exams as individual competitors.

As a special note, Gallatin County High School won the small school division team award with a perfect score.

Small School Division Team Winners:

*Gallatin County High School – First Place

*Norris City -Omaha Enfield H.S. – Second Place

Hardin County High School – Third Place

 

Large School Division Team Winners:

*Carmi-White County High School – First Place

*Harrisburg High School – Second Place

 

Small School Division Individual Winners:

Biology

Gallatin County High School *Marcus Wargel – First

Norris City -Omaha Enfield H.S. *Drake Carter – Second

Gallatin County High School *Katie Lawler – Second

Gallatin County High School Candace Lindsay – Third

 

Chemistry

Gallatin County High School *Kaleb Burklow – First

Carrier Mills-Stonefort High School *Josh Brandon – Second

Norris City -Omaha Enfield H.S. *Tyler Lamb – Second

Gallatin County High School Kelsey Bartok – Third

 

Computer Science

Hardin County High School *Seth A.H. Austin – First

Hardin County High School *Jeremy Wayne Hicks – Second

Norris City -Omaha Enfield H.S. *Stephanie Johns – Second

Norris City -Omaha Enfield H.S. Dominique Feuquay – Third

 

Engineering Graphics

Gallatin County High School *Zackery Belford – First

Gallatin County High School *Dustin Oldham – Second

Norris City -Omaha Enfield H.S. Richie Brinkley – Third

 

English

Gallatin County High School *Candace Lindsay – First

Gallatin County High School *Kara Braun – Second

Galatia High School Elizabeth Harbin – Third

 

Math

Norris City -Omaha Enfield H.S. *Caleb Brown – First

Gallatin County High School *Marcus Wargel – First

Gallatin County High School *Zackery Belford – Second

Norris City -Omaha Enfield H.S. Tyler Lamb – Third

Hardin County High School Dylan Michael Moore – Third

 

Physics

Norris City -Omaha Enfield H.S. *Brady Webb – First

Galatia High School *Jessica Vinyard – Second

Norris City -Omaha Enfield H.S. Luke Marsh – Third

 

Large School Division Individual Winners

Biology

Carmi-White County High School *Zech Endsley – First

Harrisburg High School *Thomas Bucinski – Second

Harrisburg High School Meredith Wolf  – Third

 

Chemistry

Carmi-White County High School *Jamey Steed – First

Eldorado High School *Matt Pena – Second

Carmi-White County High School Rachel Fleming – Third

 

Computer Science

Eldorado High School *Christian Stanley – First

Eldorado High School *Jacob Garrison – Second

Eldorado High School *Dakota Meents – Second

Eldorado High School Joe Watson – Third

 

Engineering Graphics

Carmi-White County High School *Seth Gross – First

Carmi-White County High School *Andrew Snyder – Second

Eldorado High School Dakota Meents – Third

 

English

Harrisburg High School *Meredith Wolf – First

Carmi-White County High School *Rachel Fleming – Second

Harrisburg High School Kalyn Eubanks – Third

 

Math

Eldorado High School *Nick Schimp – First

Carmi-White County High School *Jamey Steed – First

Carmi-White County High School *Drew Brown – Second

Harrisburg High School *Bryan Miller – Second

Harrisburg High School *Charles Murphy – Second

Harrisburg High School *Kate Thompson – Second

Eldorado High School Matt Pena – Third

Carmi-White County High School Colin Winter – Third

 

Physics

Harrisburg High School *Hannah Hefner – First

Eldorado High School *Joe Watson – First

Eldorado High School *Charly Lowery – Second

Harrisburg High School *Charles Murphy – Second

Harrisburg High School Bryan Miller – Third

Harrisburg High School Ryne Roper – Third

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