We are thrilled to share that Alexsis Barkus (2025), with a team of four other students from South High, competed in the Washburn Leadership Challenge Event (LCE) in Topeka, Kansas, this past Thursday and Friday – and made history!

The event is a simulation set in the fictional city of Metropolis, where teams must navigate a disaster scenario while taking on different leadership roles. This year’s challenge centered around a Mayoral Election, where Alexsis played the role of a political analyst.

Out of 30 competing high schools, South High stood out for their exceptional teamwork during the campaign, news interviews, and debate, securing one of only six awards, the Team Collaboration Award! This is the first time South has ever won at LCE, making it an exceptional accomplishment.

Alexsis reflected, “This challenge pushed my leadership abilities to the next level. Part of the difficulty was that teams did not know the simulation or their roles until they arrived. We had to quickly become experts in both the city of Metropolis and the campaign data; we had to know how to answer questions professionally and adequately from civilians and news networks, when we really did not know the answer. This challenge was different than anything I have ever experienced because not only did we have to demonstrate exceptional leadership, but we had to do it as professionals, not students.”

Congratulations to Alexsis and her team on this achievement!