On March 23, students participating in UIL met at Region 7 for the event’s District Meet. Since Kilgore is a 4-A school, students competed alongside fierce academic contenders including Lindale, Chapel Hill, Spring Hill, Henderson, Cumberland, and Bullard. Advancing teams are preparing for the Regional Meet which is to be held at Texas A&M Commerce on April 23. 

*DISTRICT TEAM RESULTS*

Current Issues and events Team- 1st Place 

Ryan Beddingfield 

Cason Cox 

Sam Clements 

Canon Gorman 

Accounting Team- 2nd Place

Angelica Chavez 

Cindy Cedillo 

Furqan Javed 

Melanie Sosa 

Journalism Team- 2nd Place

Carlos Ortiz 

Ashaw Bailey 

Madison Donovan 

Eryka Hopper

Carly Mauldin 

Jayden Jones

Nicholas Foster 

Rachel Niemeyer 

Kyleigh Lewis 

Xsavier Ortiz 

Carter Barton 

Jose Jaime

*INDIVIDUAL RESULTS* 

Accounting

Melanie Sosa 5th

Angelica Chavez 6th 

Current Issues & Events 

Canon Gorman 4th 

Computer Applications

Cindy Cedillo 4th 

Melanie Sosa 5th 

Brianna Rollins 6th 

Copy Editing 

Madison Donovan 5th 

Feature Writing 

Carly Mauldin 5th 

Headline Writing 

Madison Donovan 2nd

Eryka Hopper 3rd

News Writing 

Carly Mauldin 4th 

Carlos Ortiz 5th

Spelling & Vocabulary 

Delaney Moses 2nd 

UIL is a very collaborative event in which students can enhance their skills in preparation for college or their careers. 

“UIL Academics gives advanced students a chance to learn skills that are at a higher level than everyday classes require,” Pre Calculus teacher and Math events coach Matthew Williams said. “This can prepare students well for advanced coursework in college.” 

Students who participate in UIL have found that they enjoy challenging themselves while also seeing how your skills stack up against other students from surrounding schools. 

“It is a great opportunity for us to see where you and your team stand against others,” junior and Accounting team member Furqan Javed said. “It is also a good way to prepare for your future while also incorporating fun competition.” 

Even without expertise, competition is a productive way to test your skills. Placing is sometimes not the intended goal for each student. 

“The importance of being a competitor is staying focused, studying hard, and not giving up even if you don’t place,” senior and Journalism team member Ashaw Bailey said. “Learn from criticism and how you did on the event so you won’t make the same mistakes next time.”

 Practicing and devoting yourself to your event(s) can pay off as has been proven by several teams and individuals this year. 

“Me and my team prepared and studied right up to the point of district,” junior and Regionals-bound Current events team member Sam Clements said. “We are very excited to compete in Regionals at Texas A&M.” 

UIL does an amazing job in teaching its participants the importance of advancing one’s education while also allowing healthy, intellectual competition. 

“The goal of UIL is not always to win but to instill success in later life so that the students can learn beyond what was expected and for them to realize that persistence is the key to success in life,” Spelling and Vocabulary, Ready Writing, and Literary Criticism coach Johna Tritt said. “UIL is synonymous with achieving more success in the classroom through winning, losing, meeting or exceeding expectations, or simply making new relationships that will last a lifetime”