Aug/Sept 2003 Leaguer
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MARCH 2004 Volume 88 • Number 5 UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○Leaguer Briefs and Notes Calendar of upcoming events April 1 .......................... 1st day to Top of the Class submit TILF scholarship applications April 2-3 ............................ soccer regional playoff deadline 15 recognized for serving as sponsors, coaches April 5-10 ............... One-act play area meets; 1st week for golf/tennis district meets/1st week for track hether it be in worth separate from their district meets for 2-5A sports, music or success or failure in com- April 9 ....................... state soccer academics, most petition. tournament April 10 .................... track district Texas teachers “The benefits of in- certification for 1A know that their biggest terscholastic competition April 12-17 .............. last week for W success comes with the and student performance golf/tennis district meets/ last week for track success of their students. are made possible by dedi- district meets for 2-5A UIL recognizes this cated directors, sponsors April 17-18 .................. ILPC State concept and 14 years ago and coaches,” UIL Direc- Convention April 17 ........................ track area created an award to rec- tor Dr. Bill Farney said. certification for 1A ognize 15 teachers/spon- “The University Inter- April 19-24 .............. one-act play sors who go “above and scholastic League salutes regional meets beyond” to make their April 23-24 .................. Academic all of these outstanding Regional Meets students successful with educators.” April 26-May 1 ........... golf/tennis/ the UIL Sponsor Excel- The UIL Sponsor Ex- track regional meets lence Award. cellence Award was origi- April 27 ............................ softball district certification deadline for A panel of judges rep- nally made possible by a all conferences resenting the areas of grant from the Effie and May 1 ......................... softball bi- music, academics and Wofford Cain Founda- district certification deadline for all conferences athletics selected the win- tion, in honor of Frank May 4 ............................. baseball ners from nominees sub- W. Denius, a director of district certification mitted by school princi- the Cain Foundation. deadline for 2A-5A May 6-8 ................................State pals and superintendents Southwestern Bell joined Academic Meet statewide. Nomination with the UIL in 1997 but May 8 ............................. baseball forms were sent to schools dropped their support two Following Directions photo courtesy of Crosby High School journalism department district certification for 1A; bi- in August. years ago. At that time Getting directions from yearbook adviser Ramona Merrill, one of her student editors asked about a district deadline for 2A-5A/ sports template for the yearbook. Merrill, one of 15 Sponsor Excellence Award recipients, has led The award was created the UIL assumed full fi- softball bi-district deadline for students to create award-winning yearbooks at Crosby High School, including a Crown award for her 1A; area deadline for 2A-5A/State to identify and recognize nancial responsibilities of yearbook from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. The book has also won state awards from Wind Ensemble Festival outstanding sponsors who the award because it be- the Interscholastic League Press Conference. academics Notes assist students in devel- lieves that a strong extra- memento from UIL for guidance, the program fice in the early evening The state journalism compe- oping and refining their curricular program in all their outstanding contri- has progressed to the hours,” he said. “The ef- tition has been moved from Fri- extra-curricular talents to areas makes for a strong bution to the success of point where the “trophy forts on behalf of his day, May 7 to Thursday, May 6. the highest degree pos- and successful school. All journalism activities will be students in Texas. case is full of awards in all teams have paid off as sible within the educa- Each of the 15 recipi- held in Thompson Conference The UIL Sponsor Ex- academic areas and a bevy seen by the number of tional system, while help- ents will receive a $1,000 Center (TCC). The general meet- cellence Award recipi- of successful students,” district, regional and sate ing to keep their personal check and a symbolic ing will be held at 12:15 followed ents for 2003 include: according to his princi- honors his teams have by Feature Writing at 1 p.m.; News Kelly Gazaway, pal, DeWayne Wallace. received.” Writing at 3 p.m.; Editorial Writ- Elkhart High School, “Many are the times Under Gazaway’s ing at 4 p.m.; Headline Writing at This is the second of a series about the 15 Elkhart that Mr. Gazaway and his guidance, the school has 5 p.m., and the Awards Ceremony Sponsor Excellence Award recipients, recog- at 8 p.m. in the LBJ Auditorium. nized by the UIL this fall. Joan Clark and Bill Gazaway has served as students are still practic- earned State Champion academic coordinator ing when I leave my of- The UIL web page is: Dugan were recognized in the last issue. The rest www.uil.utexas.edu of the recipients will be recognized in this issue. four years, and under his continued on page 12 UIL Leaguer 2 • News March 2004 ‘Hey kid, your paper didn’t place, but don’t give up!’ Academic judges, athletic officials sacrifice time, talents for little monetary pay, but big dividends By Charlena Vargas-Prada To put the icing on the cake, my best friend, Gayla guest columnist “Hey kid, your paper didn’t Cauthen, won the gold medal in declamation, making o hear me tell it, no one has ever labored so make it, but I’m proud of you for our school the overall state winner. The headline in EDITOR hard for so little. putting forth the effort. It’s hard the Austin paper the next morning read, “Iraan named Dr. Bill Farney T During the spring months, I have once state champion in Class B.” UIL Director again been working my fingers to the bone judging to compete; it’s easier to do We were pretty full of ourselves, as only 17-year- UIL journalism meets. The hours are long, there are nothing. But you’re a winner olds can be. We hadn’t yet learned that it’s the MANAGING EDITOR too many papers to read in too short a time, I’m too because you tried. And that takes journey, not the destination, or that the world is full Randy Vonderheid tired to do this again, and so on . courage. Don’t give up.” of winners who don’t get medals. Assistant Academic It’s a rough life. Woe is me. And, now, many years later, I’m back to the ques- Director One of my listeners finally had enough and asked tion that prompted this column. a most logical question. “Hey kid, your paper didn’t make it, but I’m proud From both ends of the spectrum, why? ADMINISTRATIVE “Then why do you do it?” of you for putting forth the effort. It’s hard to compete; Because at some contest, somewhere in a small STAFF I’ve been mulling things over and decided that this it’s easier to do nothing. But you’re a winner because school in rural West Texas at some forgotten meet, a Dr. William D. query deserved a decent reply. you tried. And that takes courage. Don’t give up.” Farney, director judge wrote on one of my attempts. For the thousands of adults who spend their time Let’s turn the question around now. “Hey, kid, your paper didn’t place, but don’t give Dr. Charles judging and directing and coaching students in liter- Why do they do it? up...” Breithaupt, ary meets and band contests and one-act plays and Why do kids work at the whole business of Univer- Charlena Vargas-Prada of Dryden is a retired Iraan director of athletics refereeing football games and keeping the books at sity Interscholastic League activities? Admittedly, get- schoolteacher Vickie Bryant, track and tennis meets and all the others events ting out of Sterling City or Rankin or Wink for a few project coordinator designed for adolescent minds and bodies, when surely hours sounds mighty good, but that good? I doubt it. Capital Conference Richard Floyd, there must be more entertaining activities on Friday Getting up at dawn, riding a school bus for miles, director of music nights and Saturday afternoons, I’m going to repeat eating a stale sandwich at the concession stand, hav- set for July 9-10 activities the question. ing judges criticize your speaking, reading, writing, Are you a UIL campus academic coordinator? Bobby Hawthorne, Why do you do it? spelling, science, math. Doesn’t sound like much fun Do you coach speech or debate? director of academics At this point, a reader might logically mention to me. Do you want your UIL academic teams to be monetary recompense, but that theory is up the creek I’m going to shift gears a bit now, into reverse. Diana Cardona, more competitive? without a paddle. If you do some simple math with A long time ago, I was one of those kids. spring meet materials Then, you should attend the UIL’s annual director salary and hours worked, you’re not talking about My motives are hazy. I entered UIL competition in Capital Conference, July 9-10 at The University great wealth or, for that matter, wealth at all. journalism without the slightest idea of what I was Peter Contreras, of Texas at Austin. At the average journalism meet, here’s a picture of doing or why I was doing it. athletic coordinator The conference will begin at 8 a.m. Friday, July how an afternoon goes. You sit in a secluded room and Consequently after some futile efforts in my sopho- Mark Cousins, 9.