Litchfield Students Honored for Achievements in Science Olympiad, Scholastic Bowl, and Music

Litchfield Community Unit School District #12 Board Meeting | April 21, 2026

Article Summary: The Litchfield Board of Education dedicated a portion of its April meeting to recognize the exceptional academic and musical achievements of high school students who competed at the regional and state levels.

Student Recognition Key Points:

• The LHS Science Olympiad team secured 18 medals at regionals and advanced to the state tournament, where they placed 15th overall in their division.

• The High School Scholastic Bowl team celebrated a regional championship.

• Litchfield music students excelled, bringing home first and second-place ratings from the Solo and Ensemble contest, with five students qualifying for All-State honors.

The Litchfield Community Unit School District #12 Board of Education on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, celebrated a packed room of high-achieving students, recognizing state-level competitors from the Science Olympiad, Scholastic Bowl, and music programs.

The LHS Science Olympiad team, founded locally in 1984, was honored for a stellar season. After spending six months preparing for the 23 rigorous science and engineering events, the team dominated the Southwestern Regional competition, earning 18 medals and placing third overall.

At the Illinois State Tournament held at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the team secured medals in four events and ranked 15th overall in their division. State medalists included Cal Frerichs and Bill Crispens (1st place in Machines), Jake Wilson and Zindy Dong (2nd place in Engineering CAD), Claire Reid and Jenna Longwell (4th place in Bungee Drop), and Conner Favre and Gabe Wilson (5th place in Rocks and Minerals).

The High School Scholastic Bowl team, led by captain Isaiah Burdell, was also recognized for capturing a regional championship. “It was a really high lead in all the matches we played… there wasn’t much competition at regionals,” Burdell told the board. “We went on to sectionals and it was a rough day, but it was exciting to be there.”

In the fine arts department, instructors lauded approximately 15 students who attended the Solo and Ensemble contest in Alton, all of whom received either a first or second-place rating. Students Cameron Zumwalt and Gretchen Heigert received special “Best of Day” awards from their respective judges.

Furthermore, the board applauded five elite musicians who qualified for the highly competitive All-State festivals. Bill Crispens and Will Wujek represented the band program, while Gretchen Heigert, Sydney Weatherford, and Camron Zumwalt qualified for the All-State choir.