WYSE

 

Sponsored by Mrs. Diestelmeier

 

River Ridge Threepeats to State:

River Ridge High School, Hanover, IL, won 3rd place Team trophy and two Individual medals at the Sectional competition of the WYSE competition held at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, March 18, 2008.  The top three teams advance to State competition held at University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, April 14, 2008.  River Ridge Team advanced to State for the first time in 2006 and brought home the fifth place trophy.  The 2007 Team improved on their 2006 score, but placed sixth at state.  Details of the 2008 Sectional follow and a photo will be attached.

 

The Academic Challenge is a competitive series of tests created and administered by Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering and offered to high school students in Illinois and Missouri. The tests are now offered by more than 50 community colleges and universities and are designed to present a challenge to the brightest students.

Test material is drawn from senior high school and freshman level college curricula. Each member of a team must take two tests to potentially contribute to the team score.  Team scores are computed from the top two individuals in mathematics, chemistry, and English, plus the top two individuals in the two best of the remaining subjects including physics, engineering graphics, computer science, and biology. Written by teams of college and university faculty, each test production team produces three tests of increasing levels of difficulty, regional, sectional and state finals. Students compete as individuals and as part of a team (when their school fields a team); they have 40 minutes to complete multiple-choice tests that range in length from 30 questions (computer science) to 100 questions (English).

 

Members of the 2008 River Ridge WYSE Team are:

Junior, Laura Albrecht, Chemistry & Math,

Junior, Brandon Beyer, Math & Chemistry,

Senior, Alex Eilers, Computer Science & Biology,

Senior, Tresa Ertmer, Math & English,

Senior, Megan Francomb, Physics & English,

Junior, Amy Graves, Chemistry & Math,

Senior, Allison Hencke, English & Physics,

Senior, Kristi Kelzer, English & Physics,

Junior, Susan Larson, English & Chemistry,

Junior, Kelsey Marks, English & Chemistry,

Senior, Andrew Murphy, Engineering Graphics & Physics,

Senior, Stephen Pascoe, Computer Science & Biology,

Junior, Mattie Radke, Engineering Graphics & Math,

Senior, Kimberly Wolter, Chemistry & Math

 

 

 

NIU Sectional Team Results for Division 300:

Keith Country Day School, Rockford  (482)

Elgin Academy, Elgin                       (463)

River Ridge  HS, Hanover            (419)

Hiawatha HS, Kirkland                     (395)

Dakota HS, Dakota                          (391)

Indian Creek  HS, Shabbona           (383)

Hinckley-Big Rock HS, Hinckley     (377)

Leland HS, Leland                            (353)

Durand HS, Durand                          (340)

Paw Paw HS, Paw Paw                   (329)

 

 

Individual Medalist Results (from 15 schools), Division 300:

Schools with qualifying individual students, in addition to those listed above, are East Dubuque, Galena, Scales Mound, Stockton, and Cornerstone Christian HS, Sycamore.

 

*Chemistry (48 students, 40 ?s)

Elgin Academy          (28)

Keith Country Day     (26)

Elgin Academy          (24)

 

*English ( 49 students, 100 ?s)

Keith Country Day     (73)

Kim Meyer, Scales Mound        (70)

Cornerstone Christian Academy    (65)

 

 

*Math ( 53 students, 40 ?s)

Jill Middendorf, East Dubuque   (20)

Hinckley-Big Rock    (19)

Keith Country Day     (18)

 

 

Physics (29 students, 35 ?s) 

Keith Country Day     (20)

Indian Creek              (14)

Kristi Kelzer, River Ridge   (13)

 

Biology ( 44 students, 50 ?s)

Elgin Academy          (35)

Keith Country Day     (33)

Elgin Academy          (32)

 

Computer Science ( 20 students, 30 ?s)

Elgin Academy          (20)

Keith Country Day     (16)

Elgin Academy        (15)

 

Engineering Graphics (17 students, 50 ?s)

Andrew Murphy, River Ridge        (27)

Spencer Meinert, Dakota     (25)

Leland        (21)

 

Attached Picture Caption/Roster:

Back row: Tracy Diestelmeier, coach; Andrew Murphy*, Alex Eilers*, Stephen Pascoe, Tresa Ertmer*, Kimberly Wolter, Kelsey Marks, Mattie Radke, and Brandon Beyer;

Front row: Susan Larson, Amy Graves, Allison Hencke*, Kristi Kelzer*, Megan Francomb, and Laura Albrecht.

Five members of this 2008 team, denoted with an asterisk*, are "returning starters" from the 2007 team.

 

Thank you for your coverage and support.  These are great kids, doing great things, and it's nice to see them recognized.  (They work hard, together.)

Thank you again for all you do for our community,

 

Tracy Diestelmeier, WYSE coach and math teacher, River Ridge High School

 

Front row: Laura Albrecht, Amy Graves. Allison Hencke, Megan Francomb, Kristi Kelzer, and Susan Larson

Back row: Mrs. Tracy Diestelmeier, Brandon Beyer, Stephen Pascoe, Alex Eilers, Andrew Murphy, Tresa Ertmer, Mattie Radke, Kelsey Marks, and Kim Wolter.

Five members of this River Ridge 2008 team, denoted w/ an asterisk, are "returning starters" from our River Ridge 2007 team that placed 6th at the State level in 2007.