Finalist trophies await the top three high school academic teams for the Pennsylvania State Academic Competition at the Pennsylvania State Capitol.
West Chester East High School, whose academic competition team took the county victory in March, will represent Chester County at the Pennsylvania State Academic Competition in Harrisburg on April 26, at the Pennsylvania State Capitol.
West Chester East will compete with approximately 20 other teams at the state competition, which will be open to the public. To secure a spot at the state level, teams representing their county must first have emerged victorious in academic competitions against fellow high school teams within their county’s regional competition. The team that achieves the state championship will receive a $2,000 scholarship for their high school, while the second and third place finalists will each receive $500 for their school.
“The Pennsylvania State Academic Competition brings amazing teams from across the state together to celebrate intellectual prowess,” said Jay Della Ragione, special events coordinator for the Chester County Intermediate Unit. “It offers vital experiences for students, fostering teamwork and resilience.”
Established in 1992, the Pennsylvania State Academic Competition began under the sponsorship of Representative Joseph Pitts (R-Chester County) who provided a $5,000 WAM grant to cover costs. The first annual competition was held in the House of Representatives on May 29, 1992, with 12 school districts representing 11 different intermediate units.
This year’s competition will be hosted by Representative John Lawrence (R-Chester County), supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), sponsored by the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), and coordinated by the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU).
“The support the competition receives from PDE, PSEA, and Representative John Lawrence highlights the importance of events like this in shaping today’s students into tomorrow’s leaders,” said Della Ragione.
