Return Trip

An Albany High student qualified to advance to the UIL StateAcademic Meet inAustin for a second time after placing in the top three at the Region 2 Academic Meet in Denison last Friday.

A total of 12 local students advanced to the regional academic meet, with several placing in the top six.

SeniorSidneyRussellplaced second in News Writing to earn a return trip to the state meet. Last year, she won second in Feature Writing to advance as one of the top 12 in the state to compete.

Albany’s Computer Science team also brought home second place medals and will serve as an alternate to the state contest. Only the top team from each of the four regions advance in that events, plus one of the four second place finishers as the wild card.

Junior Holden Sanchez took fourth place individually on the multiple choice test, with the team then competing in the programing portion. Also competing on the team were senior Kolt Koemel and freshman Adrian Wren.

The scores from the individual objective test and the programing portion are added together to determine team scores.

“We came in runner-up to Olney, but had the fifth highest overall score for Class 2A,” said computer science sponsor Matthew Howard. “I am very proud of this group’s achievements andgrowth,andIforesee Albany being a strong competitor in the event in the future.”

Last year Albany sent two competitors as individuals in the test portion only, but local participants won the event at district this year to advance as a team for the first time in recent years to the regional contest.

Sanchez also competed in Ready Writing, finishing in fourth place to serve as the alternate to state.

Local students also medaled in journalism events, including junior Avery Everitt with a fourth place in Editorial Writing and senior Robyn Trail with a sixth place in Headline Writing.

In addition to her silver medal in News Writing, Russell placed fifth in Copy Editing.

The points scored by Albany students in the journalism events earned the group a plaque as the second runner-up Journalism Team.

“Wewerehopingtohave a few more going toAustin, andwecameveryclosewith some fourth place medals,” high school UIL coordinator RockDavissaid.“There wasreallystiffcompetition, so we are really proud of how well the kids did.”

Russell will compete in Austinon Tuesday, May14 at the State UILAcademic Meet on the campus of the University of Texas. Her event is set for 9:30 a.m., with results announced at the awards ceremony at 7:00 p.m. that evening in Hogg Auditorium.

Several other students competed in Science, Social Studies, and Current Events and Issues at the regional meet but did not place in the top six for medals.

Others competing included John Birkla, Jayce Tinkle, Landon Kreitler, Jonathan Coody, and Landon Picquet.