The Worldwide Youth in Science & Engineering Academic Team won its 41st consecutive Regional Championship last Friday. The WYSE Academic Challenge is a science and engineering competition sponsored by Eastern Illinois University. The team recorded a perfect score of 500 points and advanced to the Sectional Championship at NIU. The individual results were as follows:

Our Battle of the Books (BOB) team competed in Round 6, their final competition, on Tuesday, February 26th. They had a great season and earned the following accolades:

• 80 Point Club - for scoring at least 80 points in all six matches. 
• 500 Point Club - for completing the season with over 500 points (they finished with 514 points)
• Perfect 90 Award - for earning the maximum number of points (90) in a single round.

Freshmen in the Introduction to Videography class, under the direction of teacher Veronica Clements, received some real-life experience in video production. They created a video for the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin (BGCE) to showcase the nominees for the club's 2019 Youth of the Year Award. This award celebrates teens whose Club experience has empowered them to find their voice and achieve success through after-school experiences rooted in what matters most to them: choice, access, and passion. The video was viewed by attendees at the Youth of the Year Ceremony on February 21st at the Centre of Elgin.

Founders’ Day, Friday, February 22nd, was a day of service for Hilltoppers. We followed the example of our first graduate, Laura Davidson Sears, whose generosity and service made a difference for Elgin Academy and for the city of Elgin. Generations of students developed a heart for service while at Elgin Academy, and they have gone forth to make a difference in their communities and in the world. View Founders' Day of service video.

First graders in Linley Collins' class wowed their parents and guests last month when they presented oral reports on the continents. Working in pairs, the young learners researched geographical, historical, and scientific facts about their assigned continent. They neatly wrote down their information and printed out photos to accompany their written statements. Then, they attractively arranged this information on a poster board that they used during their oral presentation. Finally, the students practiced their presentations several times to make sure they were comfortable talking before an audience. 

On Tuesday, February 26th, approximately thirty juniors and their parents attended College Night for Juniors to learn about EA's top-notch college counseling process. US Director Doug Sept, in his role as Director of College Counseling, college counselor Dan Raffety, and registrar Kelley Fluegel provided an overview of Elgin Academy's personalized college counseling process. Sarah Goldman, an admissions official with Albion College, presented an interactive simulation designed to demonstrate the various factors beyond grades and test scores that influence college acceptances. During the evening, the college application process was also outlined and a panel of senior students shared insights from their college searches.