After placing first as a school at the District 20-3A Academic meet, UIL teams will compete in regionals on April 22 at Blinn College in Brenham. The district meet was held at Buffalo on March 22 and 28. 

“I coach Prose and Poetry, I am proud of the work the students put into their pieces. Last year, a few students placed at the district meet, but none advanced to regionals,” Spradlin said. “This year, Emma Jo Smith placed first at district and will advance to regionals, which is very exciting. One of the greatest parts of coaching UIL is seeing growth and improvement year to year. I’m very proud of all of the students who competed at district and contributed to winning back the UIL championship title for our school.”

Accounting made 1st place team. Advancing to regionals are 1st place Eashan Kalyanji, 2nd Kayden Dallas, and 5th Cooper Craddick. Calculator made 2nd place team. Avery Thaler 5th and Mason Edwards 7th. Computer Applications, 1st Preston Scott, 2nd Eashan Kalyanji, and 3rd Aidan Adams. Computer Science made 1st place team. 1st Newton Hartley, 2nd Preston Scott, 3rd Luke Cruce, 4th Eashan Kalyanji.

“I think that my teams did really good at the district meet, my teams all got 1st place,”  Kalyanji said. “I’m proud of all my members, they worked hard all by studying and taking practice tests, and were rewarded by placing so high. I do have hope that we will do well at the regional meet.”

 Current Issues & Events made 1st place Team. 4th Ben Kilkenny, and 5th Laiken Carlson.  Team includes: Ben Kilkenny, Laiken Carlson, and Connor Colvert. Journalism made 2nd place team. In Copy Editing Tiffany Jauregui placed 4th. News, Kynzee Payne 4th and Kylie Story 6th. Editorial Carolyn Dunlap 1st and Johnnie Sims 3rd. Copy Editing, Callie Morgan, 2nd. Literary Criticism made 2nd place team, Lydia Morgan, 2nd, Tiffany Jauregui, 4th, and Kynzee Payne, 7th. 

“I joined the journalism team because I enjoy expressing myself and even with a topic and what to write about, I can still express my feelings,” Sims said. “I think my team did well, we got 2nd. I’m very excited for regionals. I never expected to get this far and I’m thankful that Mrs Maciel is my teacher because she has a very particular way of teaching that helps me understand the information.”

Mathematics made 2nd place team. Samuel Marsters 3rd and 5th: Mason Edwards. Number Sense made 1st place team. 1st: Samuel Marsters, 4th: Alfonso Ramirez, and 5th: Braiden Barrett. Science made 1st Place Team. 1st place Lydia Morgan, 2nd place Johnathon Thomas, 5th place McKinna Brackens, 7th place Laiken Carlson.  Also, Laiken Carlson was 1st place in Biology. Jonathan Thomas was 1st place Chemistry. Lydia Morgan was 1st place Physics. Social Studies, Abril Ocampo-5th place. Spelling made 1st Place Team. 1st place Deyla Morgan, 2nd place: Elizabeth Rath, 5th place: Austin Smith, and 7th place: Alyssa Markham. Speech and Debate made 2nd place Team. Emma Jo Smith, 1st Poetry. Mayrin Espinoza, 8th Prose. Persuasive Speaking, Spain Covert 2nd, Justin Johnson 4th, and Samuel Marsters 6th. Informative Speaking, Lily Beaver 4th and Mason Copeland 6th. LD Debate, Zoe Guillotte 4th, Aidan Cobb 5th, and Caris Mayer 6th.

“I heard that the spelling team made the 1st place team. I don’t know what I was expecting out of us but I wasn’t expecting first. We didn’t really believe in ourself because of the speaker not pronouncing things correctly,” Makham said. “I was very shocked when we got the news. I was happy that my team got things done. I can’t wait to compete in regionals.”