WHS academic team gears up for UIL season
BY BRITTNI BARNETT WHS Paw Prints staff writer

As a new year of academic school competition begins, the Whitehouse High School UIL Academic Team is preparing for their new season. They will start this new season with the title of reigning district champions.

This second consecutive win has helped prompt a new addition to the team. The newly founded Academic Competition Booster Club or ACBC is ready to help the team take home the title for a third year in a row.

"I am thrilled with this new booster club. Not only will they support us as a team, but will connect and promote us to the community as well," UIL Academic Coordinator John Keeling said. "We have been looking for ways to get the parents involved and this is the perfect way to do it."

ACBC's first task will come Nov. 9 and 10 when they will sponsor the concession stand at the annual Thanksgiving Classic UIL meet that will be held at Whitehouse High School. All proceeds earned from the concessions will be used to assist the academic teams on their way to their next win.

"I think the new ACBC is great," UIL participant Meredith Mohr said. "We don't have fans cheering for us like most competition teams do, so I think this new addition will motivate us to do better."

Mohr participates in UIL journalism events. Other events in UIL range from math and science to spelling and speech. The excitement from having this new addition to the team is felt by the UIL coaches as well.

"I am very excited about the new booster club," UIL science coach Patti Roberts said. "I think we will definitely benefit from their presence, due to the fact that the students will know somebody is behind them and supporting them just like the fans that suppor t athletic teams."

Members for this newly founded booster club are needed. All parents, even those without students involved in a UIL event, are encouraged to join and help support "The Other Sport." Support from local businesses would be appreciated as well. In return, tax deductible benefits do apply.

"As a parent of a UIL participant for the past five years, I think it is vital that we support these young men and women," Eve Barnett, a newly elected officer of the booster club said. "These young people work extremely hard in each academic event they are involved in, and therefore deserve the support and recognition of the community. I think the new Academic Competition Booster Club is a perfect way to encourage this support."

The Academic Competition Booster Club will meet the second Monday of every month. However, the next meeting will be held Nov. 5 at the high school at 6:30 p.m., in order to finalize plans for the school's upcoming meet. For more information, contact John Keeling at Whitehouse High School, 903- 839-5551.

Officers for the booster club were recently elected and include Elaine Crawford, president; Eve Barnett, vice president; Laurie Shelleen, secretary; and Kathy Kapka, treasurer.