Members of the 2023 journalism UIL team were awarded all-state staff recognition this summer.  In order to receive the honor, team members had to earn at least 50 points in competitions throughout the year.

“Being named to the All-State Staff is an incredible achievement for any journalism student,” UIL State Journalism Director Alyssa Boehringer said. “Given the size of the State of Texas and the competition among the programs in Texas, this achievement is something special.”

Receiving the award were juniors Andrea Hernandez, Paula Arantes, and Sydney Hines, as well as seniors Jaida Jones and Julia Montgomery and 2023 graduate Christian Wynne.

“I am so proud of all the work this team has done,” journalism sponsor Neda Morrow said. “They were up against really tough competition all year, and they kept working hard and doing their best.  They really improved over the course of the year, and they definitely deserve recognition for all they put into the program and for earning so many medals at the meets they attended.”

Students work all year to prepare for UIL with after school practices and by writing sample papers and revising them.  They also give up Saturdays to attend practice meets and invitationals around the state.

“Competing in UIL can be fun and stressful,” junior Arantes said. “However, having a group of people you can rely on makes competitions so much easier.”

The team will begin new practice sessions for the upcoming season in September and will start the first round of invitationals in November.

“Being a part of the all-state journalism team feels so rewarding,” senior Jaida Jones said. “Being able to use my skill to compete and win is one of the highlights of my year.”