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Which Way to Go? A New Literary Journey Soon Begins for Prose and Poetry Students
By Jana Riggins, Speech and Debate Director | Tuesday, October 02, 2012 11:50 AM
Just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz pondered as she began her journey along the yellow brick road and met up with the Scarecrow at the fork, the new Prose and Poetry State Advisory Committee will be wondering just where to go when they create new high school oral interpretation categories for 2013-14.
The UIL has designed literary categories for the prose and poetry contests since the 1940’s. These contests have their roots early in the League’s existence when, at the first state meet which entailed only debate competition, coaches voted to add Declamation as its second event. Declamation was the forerunner for our current prose and poetry contests.
Early on, the requirement for declamation literature was open, yet strict. From the Constitution, in 1911, the rules stipulated that selections should fall under the general field of good citizenship.
Texas to Host National Journalism Convention
By Jeanne Acton, Journalism Director | Tuesday, October 02, 2012 11:45 AM
Texas advisers and students have a unique opportunity this year. They can attend a national journalism convention in their own state.
The JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention will be held Nov. 15-18 in San Antonio at the Marriott Rivercenter and Riverwalk and the Convention Center across the street.
It’s been 10 years since Texas hosted a national convention. Let’s show the nation how much we support and embrace scholastic journalism by heading to San Antonio in November.
The Texas delegation, including chairs Pat Gathright and Rhonda Moore, has been working for more than two years to plan an exciting convention for scholastic journalists and their advisers.
Tips for Preparing for Post-Season Competition in Team Tennis
By Darryl Beasley, Asst. Athletic Director | Tuesday, October 02, 2012 10:19 AM
Falls marks the time of the year to prepare for post-season competition in team tennis. Below is information to help with organization and advancing from district to regional and regional to state.
First and foremost, a rule change will affect both team tennis and spring tennis. The new rule allows school coaches to coach players in between points. According to United States Tennis Association (USTA) rules, a player is allowed 20 seconds between points. The new UIL rule will allow a school coach to provide feedback during that 20-second time, but it cannot interrupt the continuous play rule which states play shall be continuous from the first service until the match is concluded. The official school tennis coach may coach in a manner that does not interfere with the play on adjoining courts. Coaches and/or coaching are NOT permitted in or on the confines of the tennis court (exception: during the 90 second changeover at the end of odd games, and during the 10-minute rest period for split set matches).
Legislative Council Drives Rule Changes at League
By Dr. Mark Cousins, Athletic Director | Tuesday, October 02, 2012 10:07 AM
For more than 70 years, the UIL Legislative Council has been the driving force behind rule changes for the University Interscholastic League. Although the League has been around for more than 100 years, in the early years of existence, the rule making processes were handled through the University of Texas.
The Legislative Council is a peer-elected group of school superintendents that represent various size schools and geographic regions of the state. There are 28 total members on the Legislative Council. There is an elected representative from each of the four regions, in each of the five conferences (1A-5A). The chair of the Council then appoints eight additional members to the Council to ensure diversity in terms of school size, geographic location and ethnicity.
Although many in the school business are fully aware of the process for making rule change proposals for UIL, there may be others who do not fully understand how the process works. First and foremost, it should be understood that no UIL staff members are allowed to vote, nor do they serve as members of the Legislative Council.
Lisa Atkins Joins Academic Department
By McKensie Wallesen, UIL Intern | Tuesday, October 02, 2012 9:33 AM
Lisa Atkins joined the academic department this fall.
Photo by Jeanne Acton
Newly-hired academic administrative assistant Lisa Atkins is not afraid of a little color. Her shiny white office walls are lined with whimsical quilted wall hangings that her mom handmade using bright dyed and hand painted fabrics. She whips out her phone to find a picture of her former 10th grade English classroom.
“This is only a fraction of what was in my old room,” she said. “It was wall-to-wall decorations. I just feel like it’s more inspiring than white walls.”
UIL Academic Director Dr. David Stevens and the rest of the academics staff have taken a liking to Atkins’s creative flare, but they also like her work ethic and dedication.
Latino History Essay Competition Added to UIL Academics
By Kate Y. Hector, Media Coordinator | Tuesday, October 02, 2012 9:28 AM
The Latino History Essay Competition will join the Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition as part of the University Interscholastic League’s growing list of academic events.
Both essay competitions originated in the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin, of which UIL is a department. With the addition of these contests, UIL now offers 24 academic competitions to member high schools across the state.
Kate Hector Hired as Media Coordinator
By Chris Schmidt, Public Affairs Representative | Tuesday, October 02, 2012 9:23 AM
In September, Kate Hector joined the UIL staff as the new media coordinator.
Photo by Chris Schmid
Kate Hector joined the UIL media department in September as the new media coordinator for the League. She will play an integral communications role with the UIL writing press releases, attending official meetings and facilitating media at state championship events.
“I am really excited to work with high school athletes and competitors and also be a part of an organization that serves so many high school students who are just figuring out what they want to do, and what they like and what they are good at,” Hector said.
Though she is not a native Texan, Hector has lived in the Lone Star State since 2006 when her family moved to Killeen from Lawton, Oklahoma. Upon enrolling at Killeen Harker Heights High School, she joined the UIL informative speaking team and experienced first-hand the positive effects UIL events can have on student participants.
Dr. Bradley Kent Joins Music Department
By Kate Y. Hector, Media Coordinator | Tuesday, October 02, 2012 9:10 AM
Dr. Bradley Kent
The music department has an energetic new member in Dr. Bradley Kent. Kent started as the new associate music director after Labor Day and is excited to put his years of experience to use here at the League.
“As a young teacher, I experienced what UIL did for me and my students,” Kent said. “I have always had a tremendous amount of respect for what UIL does for our music programs in this state.”
Kent started his career in music as a teacher at Lewisville High School, north of Dallas, but his musical interest started long before that.
Beasley Inducted into Beeville Hall of Fame
By Jeanne Acton, Journalism Director | Tuesday, October 02, 2012 9:05 AM
Assistant Athletic Director Darryl Beasley accepted his award in his hometown Beeville.
Darryl Beasley has lived sports all his life. He played high school and college basketball. He coached at both the high school and college level. And for the past eight years, Beasley has been an assistant athletic director at the League.
So it probably wouldn’t be a shock to anyone that his hometown, Beeville, inducted him into its Hall of Fame this month.
But it was to Beasley.
“The call came out of the blue,” he said. “I didn’t expect it.”
Opportunities for Student Participation May Expand After Council Meeting
By Jeanne Acton, Journalism Director | Tuesday, October 02, 2012 8:41 AM
Each year on the third Sunday in October, the full Legislative Council meets. This year the Council will meet on Sunday, Oct. 21 and Monday, Oct. 22.
Photo by Jeanne Acton
After the UIL Legislative Council meets Oct. 21-22, Texas students may have a few more options for participating in League events in the future.
The academic department is proposing a new pilot — Student Congress, for the 2013-14 school year. Student Congress is a mock legislative assembly competition, where students propose laws and position statements that the assembly debates and votes on to pass into law under the structure of parliamentary procedure.
Speech and Debate Director Jana Riggins said she first introduced the idea of a Student Congress event several years ago, and each year support for the contest has grown.