Bennett makes state UIL appearance in news writing

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany High School sophomore Kylee Bennett represented her school and region Monday at the UIL State Academic Meet, competing in the news writing event on the University of Texas campus in Austin.

Bennett qualified for state after earning a first-place finish in news writing at the Region II Academic Meet last month. Her advancement placed her among the top 12 student journalists in the state across Class 2A, and she joined a field of 72 competitors from all classifications, 1A through 6A.

“It’s daunting to go into a room with 72 other competitors,” said journalism advisor Donnie Lucas, who also served as a 5A judge at the event. 

“The entries in all classifications get the same prompt, and it was a very difficult one – school finance – which is hard for a lot of students to understand, especially for a sophomore.”

Lucas said Bennett handled the challenge well and produced a strong article. 

“I read her piece and thought she did a really good job,” he said. “She had a solid lead. It may have come down to needing more quotes, which could have held her back in the final rankings.”

Though Bennett did not place in the top six, Lucas said the experience was invaluable. 

“Very few underclassmen even make it to state, much less medal,” he said. “She’ll gain a lot of confidence from this, and it will really benefit her in the next couple of years.”

Lucas added that while Bennett was disappointed, she recognized the honor of simply qualifying. “She kept apologizing, but just getting there is a big deal,” he said.

Bennett, a staff writer for The Lions Roar, Albany High School’s student newspaper, was accompanied to the competition by her twin sister Rylee.