05/12/2026
Haspels wins 8th place in the 2026 Microsoft Office Specialist - Word State Championship Spring Qualifier
The winners of the 2026 Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Kansas State Championship Spring Qualifier have been announced by Certiport, a Pearson Business, the leading provider of performance-based IT certification exams that accelerate people’s academic and career opportunities.
Winning 8th in the Microsoft Office Specialist Word (Office 2019) category is Johnathan Haspels from Halstead, Kansas. Haspels competed against students from across Kansas to earn this coveted placement.
To compete in the Spring Qualifier, students aged 13 to 22 were eligible to participate in one of six competition tracks by submitting a qualified, passing score on the MOS Word, Excel®, or PowerPoint® certification exams by May 1, 2026. 12 Halstead High School students submitted their certification scores this year.
“We have seen amazing results from the MOS program at our school as students learn and validate key workforce skills,” said Michaela Forkenbrock, Halstead High School Business Instructor. “Johnathan will now have an important distinction to place on his resume that shows a desire to learn in-demand skills.” Miss Forkenbrock was also honored as a Certiport Outstanding Educator this year.
The Microsoft Office Specialist certification is the only official Microsoft-recognized certification for Microsoft Office globally and serves as a powerful instrument for assessing students’ skills and preparing them for real-world application of their knowledge.
