![(L-R): Erin Barndollar, Roberta Bingelyte]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1652387213/lhs210net/wv9joahgnk75gejdwew3/2021-22_LHS_IDEAStateFinalists.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1652387213/lhs210net/wv9joahgnk75gejdwew3/2021-22_LHS_IDEAStateFinalists.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1652387213/lhs210net/wv9joahgnk75gejdwew3/2021-22_LHS_IDEAStateFinalists.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1652387213/lhs210net/wv9joahgnk75gejdwew3/2021-22_LHS_IDEAStateFinalists.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1652387213/lhs210net/wv9joahgnk75gejdwew3/2021-22_LHS_IDEAStateFinalists.jpg","width":1440}])
Two Lemont High School students – senior Roberta Bingelyte and junior Erin Barndollar – competed at the 2022 Illinois Design Educators Association (IDEA) State Competition, which was contested at Illinois State University in April. Each made their state finals debuts by participating in the Architectural Board category.
Barndollar and Bingelyte advanced to state finals competition after sweeping the top two spots in regional competition. Barndollar placed first and maintained Lemont’s stranglehold in the Architectural Board division, while Bingelyte finished as the runner-up. In that category, students are challenged to design and/or draw specified views, details or sections using provided materials, specifications and drawings. A Lemont student has won the regional in Architectural Board nine straight years, dating back to 2014.
Lemont qualified two additional entries for state finals competition, but they were unable to attend the event. Seniors Peter Borzecki, Adam Ptaszek and Grahm Schuth won the Engineering Design category, while seniors Marek Biedrzycki, Lukasz Otreba and Adam Straczek combined for a runner-up finish in Architectural Design.
Illinois Design Educators Association Website
Jacob Wilk ‘18 is the school’s only two-time regional champion, having won the Architectural Board category in 2017 and 2018. Other regional winners have included Abigail Belsan ‘20 (Architectural Board, 2020), Jasmine Hornik ‘15 (Architectural Board, 2015), Tom Janik ‘14 (Assembly Modeling, 2014), Mark Kaminski ‘10 (Architectural Board, 2010), Szymon Krzeptowski-Mucha ‘13 (Architectural Board, 2012), Matt Lassak ‘16 (Architectural Board, 2016), Nick Lawrence ‘09 (3D Architectural CAD Modeling, 2009), Katie Lynch ‘14 (Architectural Board, 2014), Matt Milan ‘19 (Architectural Board, 2019), Kathy Sitko ‘10 (Introductory Board, 2010), Ryan Strauss ‘08 (3D Architectural CAD Modeling, 2008), Genna Yavaraski ‘21 (Architectural Board, 2021), and the team of Aaron Bromberek ‘18, Alex Fugiel ‘19 and Kendrick Tran ‘18 (Engineering Design, 2018).
Lemont’s top individual finisher at the IDEA State Competition was Sean Armbruster ‘09, who was the runner-up in the 3D Architectural CAD Modeling category in 2009. Bromberek, Fugiel and Tran earned a runner-up finish in Engineering Design in 2018, while Caden Brennan ‘21, Matas Carmichael ‘21 and Michael Doyle ‘21 were second in Engineering Design in 2021. Lassak is the school’s only two-time state medalist, having placed third in Architectural Board in 2015 and 2016. Lemont’s other state medalists have included Hornik (3rd, Architectural Board, 2015), Milan (3rd, Architectural Board, 2019), Wilk (3rd, Architectural Board, 2018), Yavaraski (3rd, Architectural Board, 2021), Dan Garczek ‘16 (3rd, 3D Architectural CAD Modeling, 2016), Adam Popper ‘17 (3rd, Introductory CAD, 2015), and Karl Ramski ‘21 (Assembly Modeling, 2021).
Under the tutelage of teacher Scott Duensing, Lemont has had at least one IDEA state qualifier in 14 of 15 years. It has earned multiple medals in state competition three times, with a high of three state medals in 2015 and 2021. It advanced a school-record five entries to the 2020 state competition, but it was cancelled due to COVID-19.