INA, Ill. (February 11, 2026) — More than 200 students, representing the brightest young minds from area high schools, went head-to-head Wednesday at Rend Lake College's Academic Challenge.
Students from Benton, Christopher, Hamilton County, Mt. Vernon, Norris City-Omaha-Enfield, Pinckneyville, Sesser-Valier, Thompsonville, Waltonville, Wayne City, Webber, Woodlawn, and Zeigler-Royalton were tested in biology, chemistry, computer science, English, engineering graphics, mathematics and physics.
"Over 40 years ago, the University of Illinois launched this competition under the name WYSE (Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering),” explained the event’s coordinator, RLC Dean of Arts & Sciences Greg Hollmann. “Later, Eastern Illinois University took the reins, rebranding it as ACES (Academic Challenge for Engineering and Science). When Eastern announced plans to discontinue the event, we at RLC, having served as a regional host for decades, wanted to ensure an academic contest like this was still an opportunity for our in-district schools.
“This competition pushes students, giving them just 40 minutes to tackle rigorous tests based on high school senior and college freshman curricula,” Hollmann added. “Hosting this event is an absolute joy for us. We get inspired meeting these young minds from our community. RLC is very proud to carry this tradition forward. I hope it thrives for another four decades."
2026 Academic Challenge Winners
TEAM WINNERS
1st - Hamilton County Senior High School
2nd - Mt. Vernon Township High School
3rd - Benton Consolidated High School
INDIVIDUAL WINNERS
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 Winners
Woodlawn High School
Meet the Teams
Benton Consolidated High School
Pictured: Carter Norton, Cayden Thiele, Elijah Schlag, Riley Spencer, Jennie Ren, Hunter Morris, Jaycee Webb, Landon Grimm, Logan Smith, Madalyn Roundcount, Shayne Barry, Willis Morris, Hunter Irvin
Christopher High School
Pictured: Rowan Young, Hope Boker, Marissa Jennings, CJ Shurtz, Hanna Morse, Rex Vessels, Chelsea Douglas, Ryleigh Hecht, Landon Sveda, Jaden Mendez, Tripp Fletcher, Marissa Glidewell, Tiara Sprague, Kyler Nikolich
Hamilton County Senior High School
Pictured: Jace Cross, Cohen White, Cameron Milligan, Ethan Kessler, Aydan Hood, Shiloh Willis, Bryan Vogt, True Claytor, Kale Laswell, Brylee Varner, Cole Hamson, Sarah Ragan, Dylan Cockrum, Rayce Reynolds
Mt. Vernon Township High School
Pictured: Catelyn Allen, Logan Armstrong, Xander Ashby, Alister Clodi, Kiro Edwards, Lily Houle, Pierce Keyser, Ryan Lingas, Ethan Muller, Riley Parrish, Jiya Patel, Charles Romines, Adalynn Sendelbach, Jordan Sledge, Asher Snow, Jakiya Sosa, Leah Stuehlmeyer, Clover Tinsley, Lexyss Weiss
NCOE High School
Pictured: Braylon Phillips, Caden Sexton, Shaun Edwards, Conner Graves, Landon Garrison, Greyson Goebel, Finlee Hite, Wyatt McCormick, Lacy Sanders, Lathan Erwin, Breyton Sauls, Olivia Sutton, Ella Hoskins, Rhett Wehlermann
Pinckneyville Community High School
Pictured: Lia Farlow, Thomas Fisher, Eliza Heisner, Addie Kellerman, Jonathan Kuhnert, Titus Loos, Reed Marlow, Tania Onate, Arryn Overturf, Mandy Partin, Love Rojek, Drew Schneider, Evelyn Zheng, Iris Zheng
Sesser-Valier High School
Pictured: Will Watson, Katie Keith, Rowen McCubbins, Tony Kistner, Zevon Zimbro, Keegan Neikes, Shaelyn Taylor, Dion Alili, Liam McMurray, Kensington Stagner, Maggie Watson, Caylee Goeke, Elyssa Schoenbaechler, Alex Goeke, Megann Zettler
Thompsonville High School
Pictured: Liam Reagan, Melanie Henson, Lucas Smith, Kailyn Kahl, Lanie Willaims, Amilya Williford, Jamesyn Samples, Cully Broy, Braxton Mohring, Mikayla McFarland, Isabellah Williford, Gavin Peebels, Savannah Haremski
Waltonville High School
Pictured: Kinley Myers, Elaina Yenne, Joel Shaw, Kaylee Kretz, Addie Trader, Reese Klingler, Layla Hanus, Peyton Hayes, Aidan Yenne, Lilly Winka, Brighym Bequette, Jake Kash, Kadon Brelje, Addi Standley, Piper Wynn
Wayne City High School
Pictured: Kallee Bullard, Iris Carpenter, Katelyn Catron, Dutch Peyton, Kenzie Seidel, Eowyn Smith, Alayna White, Dawson Wood, Sam Braddock, Kylie Coy, Clara Manning, Ava Minor, Caylan Piper
Webber Township High School
Pictured: Gavin Hardy, Jamisen Fitzpatrick, Kevin Anderson, Audrey Frey, Teiryn Andrews, Levi Ganieany
Woodlawn High School
Pictured: Anna Bousman, Eddy Braddy, JW Morgan, Hayden Mellott, Hayden Barton, Marc Lawrence, Kyle Cooper, Alexa Severs, Keaton Page, Olive Hutton, Baylor Rollie, Jori Russo, Luke McKay, Allie Decker, Tyson Morgan
Zeigler-Royalton High School
Pictured: Stella Krelo, Logan Bowen, Brennan Pasquino, Declan Potmas, Jackson Gaddis, Peter Jones, Hayden Cagle, Carsen Longwell, Jack Rapach, Lukas Moyers, Brody Schram, Emma Capogreco, Brett Bowles, Logan Russell, Charlie Battaglia
