Western Hosts 2023 Wyoming Academic Challenge

Western Wyoming Community College (Western) hosted the 2023 Wyoming Academic Challenge (WAC) on October 7. Teams come across Wyoming to compete at each of Wyoming’s community colleges.  

The Wyoming Academic Challenge is a series of academic contests designed to provide high schools in Wyoming with a regular season of academic competition culminating with a state tournament. Scholarships, team trophies or plaques, as well as individual medals, are awarded at each contest. The Challenge is the first event in a series for the 2023-2024 school year.  

Awards are given to the top three schools and first place small school (250 or fewer students enrolled) at each competition. To compete in the state tournament, each high school must qualify at one of the regional contests. Each member of the winning team was awarded a scholarship of one year of tuition to Western Wyoming Community College. 

• 1st Place Overall Winners: Cheyenne East High School Team 1
  • Team Members: David Haberkorn (Grade 11), Kinsington Dobler (Grade 12), Simon Wolf (Grade 11), Cora Kang (Grade 11), and Frances Scott (Grade 12)

• 2nd Place Overall Winners: Cheyenne East High School Team 2
  • Team Members: Caleb Miller (Grade 12), Kael Hoshall (Grade 12), Emerson Markus (Grade 11), Karson Costa (Grade 11), and Alton Brosius (grade 11)

• 3rd Place Overall & 1st Place Small School Winners: Poder Academy Secondary School
  • Team Members: Jocelyn Barr (Grade 11), Isaiah O’Hara (Grade 11), Jojo McPeack (Grade 11), Racquel Torres (Grade 10)

“Western was excited to be able to host this year's Wyoming Academic Challenge event this last Saturday on our Rock Springs campus. It is always encouraging to see Wyoming's up-and-coming academic leaders, and to be able to acknowledge the first-place winning team with scholarships to Western Wyoming Community College, once they have graduated from high school,” stated Dr. Clifford Wittstruck, Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs at Western.  

Western’s Student Learning Office hosted the event, the following faculty, staff members, and community members volunteered to help as readers, timekeepers, and scorers; Michelle Gatti, Executive Assistant to the VP for Academic & Student Affairs; Lance Caldwell, Instructor of Powerline Technology; Matt Henley, Instructor for CDL Training; Paul Johnson, Assistant Professor of Mathematics; Troy Hunt, Assistant Professor of Communication; Kaitlynn Gee, Recruiter; Jaxon Peacock, Recruiter; Anjie Robinson; and Travis Black.  

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