READING, PA — The World Affairs Council of Greater Reading hosted the 2026 Academic
WorldQuest competition on March 12, 2026, at the McGlinn Conference Center at Alvernia
University. Teams of ninth- through twelfth-grade students from across Berks County faced off
in a fast-paced test of international affairs knowledge, with Wilson High School’s Red Team
claiming first place and earning the right to represent Berks County at the National Competition
in Washington, D.C. this April.

Competition Results

1st Place:  Wilson High School — Red Team
2nd Place:  Governor Mifflin — Maroon Team
3rd Place:  Governor Mifflin — Gold Team

The first-place Wilson Team consisted of Chase Mitstifer, William Cochran, Jakub Mochon, and Christina Rohm, under the guidance of adviser Dr. Franklin Reese, Gifted Support Teacher at Wilson High School. The second-place Maroon Team from Governor Mifflin consisted of Joshua Velez, Ethan Kurtz, Charles Shuker, and Kuljeet Sangha, and the third-place Gold Team consisted of Jamie Michalsky, Madelyn Spayd, Stella Belinski, and Lillyanne DeLoretta. Both Governor Mifflin teams were advised by Michael Kurtz, Social Studies Teacher and department chairperson at Governor Mifflin School District.

As the regional winner, the Wilson Red Team is sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Greater Reading to attend the National Competition in April 2026.

About Academic WorldQuest

Founded in 2003, Academic WorldQuest is a team-based competition testing high school students’ knowledge of international affairs. Four-person teams compete across ten thematic categories covering critical global and U.S. foreign policy issues. Students prepare using the official WACA Study Guide — available at worldaffairscouncils.org/2026awqstudyguide — which draws on curated sources from organizations including the Council on Foreign Relations, the Financial Times, and GlobalPost. The team with the most correct answers wins.

This year marks the 22nd year of Academic WorldQuest in Berks County. This year’s competition featured teams from Berks Catholic, Boyertown, Conrad Weiser, Exeter, Governor Mifflin, Hamburg, Muhlenberg, Twin Valley, Wilson, and Wyomissing school districts. The competition is made possible by the generous support of the five Institutions of Higher Education in Berks County and other donors. 

National Competition — Washington, D.C., April 2026

The Wilson Red Team will join 200–250 of the nation’s top high school students in Washington, D.C., for a three-day event taking place April 26–28. Activities include a speaker and panel discussion at the National Press Club, the four-hour national competition, an evening reception, and a visit to the Australian Embassy — a unique opportunity for students to engage with global affairs dignitaries and connect with like-minded peers from across the country.

Event Organizers

The 2026 Berks County competition was co-organized by Nicholas P. Nicoletti, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science at Alvernia University and member of the World Affairs Council of Greater Reading Board, and Brooke M. Nicoletti, ELA Teacher at Wilson Southern Middle School, who served as a volunteer organizer.

For more information about Academic WorldQuest or the World Affairs Council of Greater Reading, please contact the World Affairs Council of Greater Reading.