6 advance to regional UIL

By Melinda L. Lucas

Six Albany High students are advancing to the Region II Academic Meet in April after placing in the top three at the District 10-2A Meet held March 22 in Stamford.

Albany finished the district competition in fifth place at the district meet with 178 points, which also includes points scored in the One Act Play contest held earlier in March.

Haskell won the meet with 358 points, followed by Stamford in second with 341 and Cisco in third with 257. Anson took the fourth place spot with 219 points, with Hawley in sixth place with 174 and Hamlin in seventh with 38 points.

Journalism students advanced in all five contests, with of the competitors moving to the regional meet in two events each.

While they do not compete as a team, the journalism students also earned a total of 117 points to bring home the Journalism Team trophy. Hawley was the second place team with 114 points.

“I am really happy that we have kids in all five of the journalism contests,” sponsor Donnie Lucas said. “We didn’t qualify as many people in each contest compared to the last couple of years, but it was still a very good showing. Hawley really stepped up their emphasis on the journalism events this year and are also sending several to regionals.”

High school UIL coordinator Rick Davis said that the school had about the same participation this year as last year.

“The number of participants was up this year by a few because of a rule change allowing up to six contestants from each school instead of just three in certain contests,” he said. “It just wasn’t our day. We didn’t have as many kids place as well as they did in the practice meets.”

Albany did advance a student in computer science for the first time in several years. The event was sponsored by Albany ISD technology director Matthew Howard.

“We have five girls in journalism events advancing and one boy in computer science, and they all compete on Friday, April 22 at Grayson College in Denison,” Davis said.

Individual and team results at the district meet are as follows:

Copy Editing – 1. Sidney Russell. 3. Ashley Richards.

News Writing – 2. Avery Everitt. 4. Sidney Russell. 6. Robyn Trail.

Feature Writing – 2. Avery Everitt. 3. Sidney Russell, 4. Leddie Leech.

Editorial Writing – 2. Mayson Garcia.

Headline Writing – 2. Robyn Trail. 4. Ashley Richards. 5. Mayson Garcia.

Ready Writing – 6. Ashley Richards.

Computer Science – 2. Holden Sanchez. 4. Kolt Koemel. 2nd Place Team, Sanchez, Koemel, and Jonathan Coody.

Current Issues and Events – 5. John Birkla. 2nd place team – Birkla, Michael Sadler, Landon Kreitler, and Jayce Tinkle.

Places one through three advance, Davis explained. Fourth place serves as alternate. Only first place teams advance.

The top three placing individuals and the top teams at the regional meet will advance to the State UIL Academic Meet on May 17-18 on the UT campus in Austin.