Charleston, W.Va. (WVDN) – Braxton County High School (Braxton County) placed first, and Charleston Catholic High School (Kanawha County) placed second in the final regional competition of the 2026 Academic Showdown season at West Virginia State University in Institute, West Virginia, today. These wins secured both schools a spot in the finale in Charleston on May 1.
The Showdown offers students the opportunity to put their knowledge of various academic and cultural subjects to the test in an exciting and rigorous team competition.
“This is the fifth year of the Academic Showdown, and students have raised the bar every season in their preparation, excitement and teamwork,” said State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt. “We have teams that have competed each year, and we have newcomers to the competition that bring energy and their best academic prowess. I’m sure the scholars have enjoyed it as much as we have, and we look forward to the finale in May.”
Charleston Catholic High School placed second during the Region 3 competition of the 2026 Academic Showdown at West Virginia State University.
Teams competing in the Region 3 Showdown today included:
- Braxton County High School
- Capital High School
- Charleston Catholic High School
- George Washington High School
- Nitro High School
- Ripley High School
- St. Albans High School
- Scott High School
- Sherman High School
- Sissonville High School
- South Charleston High School
- Williamstown High School
Teams earning a spot in the finale in Charleston on May 1 are:
Region 1:
Morgantown High School*
Weir High School
Region 2:
Huntington High School*
Hurricane High School
Region 3
Braxton County High School*
Charleston Catholic High School
Region 4
Bridgeport High School*
Fairmont Senior High School
Region 5
Bluefield High School*
Princeton Senior High School
Region 6
Jefferson High School*
Spring Mills High School
*First-place winners
The Showdown is a partnership between the WVDE, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the West Virginia Culture Center and West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Stay up-to-date on the Academic Showdown by visiting the WVDE website.
