AHS seniors to compete at state UIL
By Melinda L. Lucas
Albany High School is sending two senior students to Austin this week to compete in the UIL Academic Meet at the University of Texas.
Sarah Cotter took second in editorial writing at the Region II Meet on April 22 to advance. She will be joined by Susie Cormack, who was third in news writing at the regional level.
The top three places from each of the four regions qualify for state. The top six of the 12 competitors in each category will receive a state medal.
Journalism sponsor Donnie Lucas and librarian Jenny Scott will accompany the girls.
Albany sent two journalism students to the state meet last year, although it was held remotely at an Abilene location due to the ongoing COVID pandemic. UIL events were cancelled altogether in 2020.
Last year, 2021 graduate Hannah Trail took the gold in editorial writing, while classmate Tana Thompson competed in both feature writing and headline writing.
Luke Ivy, who competed in science at state last year, was this year’s regional alternate after placing fourth in science.
“It has been three years since we have actually traveled to Austin to compete,” journalism adviser Donnie Lucas said. “It’s always exciting for the kids to make it to that level.”
Lucas added that this will also be the first time in three years that the staff of the school newspaper, the Lions Roar, will be attending the annual Interscholastic League Press Conference, also due to the pandemic.
“ILPC meets on Saturday following the journalism writing events that are held on Friday,” he said. “That is a way for students who compete in UIL to also attend ILPC the same weekend.”
The newspaper staff will find out the results of a number of individual contests they entered based on the first four issues of the school year. The winners of the coveted Star Awards, which includes newspapers from all divisions competing together, will be announced on Sunday during the closing awards assembly.
Lucas said that 10 additional students will arrive for ILPC on Saturday morning to attend the convention.
