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LLCC announces 2026 regional Academic Challenge winners

Events Upcoming

New Members

Approximately 140 students from nine area high schools competed in the regional Academic Challenge on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Lincoln Land Community College.
           
Students competed as individuals and as teams (of up to 14 students) testing in their choice of two subjects — biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering graphics, English, mathematics and physics. The tests are written by teams of college and university faculty and designed to present a challenge to high school students.
           
All teams will advance to sectional competition, which will be held virtually March 2-17. Teams will report their scores, which will be compared statewide to determine the overall state winners for each division (both individual and team).
 
Two $500 LLCC Foundation scholarships were awarded at the event. Kaiyah Bubniak from Pleasant Plains High School and Westyn Leonard from Jacksonville High School were selected at random from all participants in the Academic Challenge as the recipients.
 
The competition at LLCC was hosted by LLCC and organized by area academic challenge coaches.
 
Division 300 teams participating: Athens, Mount Pulaski, New Berlin, Pawnee
 
Team Rankings
 
First – Pawnee High School
Second – Athens High School
 
Individual Rankings
 
Biology
First – Ashley Nicholson, Athens
Second – Jacob Collier, Athens
Third – Logan Skinner, Pawnee
 
Chemistry 
First – Matt Kapinus, New Berlin
Second – Izabella Urbanckas
Third – Chase Roberts, Mount Pulaski; Vincent Tabor, Mt. Pulaski
 
Computer Science
First – Carter Clair, New Berlin
Second – Hayden Masters, Pawnee
Third – Eden Nelson, Athens
 
Engineering Graphics
First – Leah Sunley, New Berlin
Second – Carson Contreras, Pawnee
Third – Lane Megginson, Pawnee
 
English   
First – Carter Clair, New Berlin
Second – Maycee Shoemaker, New Berlin; Eden Nelson, Athens
Third – Mae McTaggart, Pawnee
 
Mathematics
First – Jacob Collier, Athens; Aiden Roberts, Athens
Second – Brody Bilbruck, New Berlin; Carson Contreras, Pawnee; Lane Megginson, Pawnee
Third – Matt Kapinus, New Berlin
 
Physics   
First – Aiden Roberts, Athens
Second – Dean Martin, Mount Pulaski
Third – Morgan Faith, Pawnee
 
 
Division 700 teams participating: Auburn and Pleasant Plains
 
Team Rankings
 
First – Pleasant Plains High School
Second – Auburn High School
 
Individual Rankings
Biology
First – Hannah Essex, Auburn
Second – Iz Coleman, Pleasant Plains
Third – Ellie Harvey, Auburn; Hayleigh Woker, Auburn; Reese Megginson, Auburn; Noah Bergner, Pleasant Plains
 
Chemistry 
First – Ryleigh Hahn, Pleasant Plains
Second – Jack Sandel, Pleasant Plains
Third – Aubrey Payne, Pleasant Plains
 
Computer Science
First – Toby Nass Helfer, Pleasant Plains
Second – Noah Bergner, Pleasant Plains
Third – Aubrey Payne, Pleasant Plains
 
English   
First – Mikayla Blankenship, Pleasant Plains
Second – Ashley Vargas, Auburn
Third – Hannah Essex, Auburn
 
Mathematics
First – Ben Gross, Pleasant Plains
Second – Jacob Schnelten, Auburn
Third – Dallas Alvarez, Auburn; Joel Grove, Pleasant Plains
 
Physics   
First – Ben Gross, Pleasant Plains    
Second – Joel Gove, Pleasant Plains
Third – Colin Tribble, Pleasant Plains
 
 
Division 1500 teams participating: Glenwood, Jacksonville and Rochester
 
Team Rankings
 
First – Glenwood High School
Second – Jacksonville High School
 
Individual Rankings
 
Biology
First – Amelia Olson, Glenwood
Second – Aarav Patel, Glenwood
Third – Cole Nebel, Jacksonville; Hannah Rollins, Rochester
 
Chemistry 
First – Annabel Mollerud, Glenwood; Connor Walker, Jacksonville
Second – Soren Transue, Rochester; Max Perrin, Rochester
Third – Cole Nebel, Jacksonville
 
Computer Science
First – Ben Stalets, Rochester
Second – Austin Keck, Glenwood; Brant McCulloch, Jacksonville
Third – Wania Syed, Glenwood; Charlie English, Jacksonville
 
Engineering Graphics
First – Brant McCulloch, Jacksonville
Second – Alex Graff, Rochester
Third – David Johnson, Rochester
 
English   
First – Flossie Redwood, Glenwood
Second – Nora Elder, Rochester
Third – Jamila Lanorio, Jacksonville
 
Mathematics
First – Aarav Patel, Glenwood
Second – Flossie Redood, Glenwood
Third – Wania Syed, Glenwood; Greta Bryson-Adams, Jacksonville
 
Physics   
First – David Johnson, Rochester
Second – Tim Lee, Rochester; Ben Stalets, Rochester
Third – Westyn Leonard, Jacksonville; Soren Transue, Rochester

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