Wyoming Academic Challenge 2019

Western Wyoming Community College hosted the 2019 Wyoming Academic Challenge (WAC) on October 5^th.

The Challenge is the first event in a series for the 2019-2020 school year. The contests are designed to provide Wyoming high schools with a regular season of academic competition ending with a state tournament.

Awards are given to the top three schools as well as the top small school (250 or less enrollment) at each competition. To compete in the state tournament, each high school must qualify at one of the regional contests.

The team information for the 10 teams representing six schools is as follows:

• Cheyenne East Team 1: Connor Hayes (11^th grade), Livi Shoemaker (12^th grade), Brooke Culp (12^th grade)
• Cheyenne East Team 2: Garth Shaw (9^th grade), Savannah Schilling (12^th grade), Fox Nelson (12^th grade), Sophie DeMatteo (11^th grade)
• Cheyenne Poder Academy Team 1: Frank Torres (9^th grade), Rhiannon Uannom (11^th grade), Rikia Pettis (10^th grade), Tannisha Brown (11^th grade), Divinity McCurtain (10^th grade)
• Cheynne Poder Academy Team 2: Onika Mullinax (10^th grade), Jasmine Rutka (10^th grade), Tennyson Smith (9^th grade), Carlos Colin-Feliciano (10^th grade)
• Douglas High School Team 1: Kyle Shearer (12^th grade), Brandon Witbrod (12^th grade), Greta Thrasher (10^th grade)
• Douglas High School Team 2: Alex Witbrod (12^th grade), Brayden Winn (12^th grade), Christian Pelletz (12^th grade)
• Lovell High School: Kailei Fink (11^th grade), Quinn Lindsey (10^th grade), Garrett Lillard (10^th grade), Grace Shumway (11^th grade), Jastin Joy (10^th grade)
• Pine Bluffs High School Team 1: Reagan Pachel (12^th grade), Greg Fornstorm (11^th grade), Diana Sanchez (11^th grade), Brian Arzola (12^th grade)
• Pine Bluffs High School Team 2: Scott Fornstrom (10^th grade), Twyla Butler (9^th grade), Jude Pachel (10^th grade)
• Riverside High School: Baylee Drewry (11^th grade), Fiona Gannon (10^th grade), Liam Gannon (10^th grade), Dylan Alexander (9^th grade), Anthony Gonzales (11^th grade)

“Douglas Team 2, led by senior Christian Pellatz, started well and continued to expand their lead as the rounds went on. Their written round score was one of the highest recorded in several years. Douglas Team 2 finished first, Cheyenne East Team 2 finished in second place, and Douglas's Team 1 took home third place. Pine Bluffs finished in fourth place and took first place in the small school category,” stated Eric Kestner, WAC State Coordinator.

Western’s Student Learning Office hosted the event, and faculty and staff members volunteered to help as readers, timekeepers and scorers.

The Wyoming Academic Challenge is a great opportunity for Wyoming’s future leaders. For more information visit www.wyomingacademicchallenge.com, or contact Cathy Ebert at cebert@westernwyoming.edu.