WHS Academic Team prepares for state

For most students, Saturdays represent freedom after a long week of school, but not for UIL participants and coaches. Another trip on a school bus before the crack of dawn defines their Saturdays at the art of UIL competitions.

Whitehouse High School finished first place overall on March 29 at the district meet. The students went on to regionals where the team placed third and a few earned a place at the state meet.

The speech team took second place with Brenna Middleton advancing to regionals in informative speaking and L-D debate, where she placed fifth in informative speaking.

The CX debate team with Cody Lindley and Aaron Adamson ranked third at district. Kate Mohr made it to the regional meet and placed fifth in the prose speaking event.

The journalism team placed second overall with Brittni Barnett, Caitlin Giddens, Meredith Mohr and Sarah Stewart all advancing to regionals. Stewart will attend the state meet in May after placing first in news writing at regionals on April 12. The journalism team took second place at regionals with Barnett earning fifth in news writing and Giddens and Mohr fifth and fourth, respectively, in feature writing.

The computer science team placed first overall at district with Daniel Herrig taking first and Andrea Crawford placing second. Peter Galbraith ranked second while Marcus Carey came in fourth. At regionals, the computer science team placed first and advanced to state with the team of Herrig, Gailbraith, Crawford and Carey.

In literary criticism, Gabby Gesulgon and Brittany Wink placed fourth and fifth, respectively, at district while the team came in second with members Wink, Gesulgon, Rebecca Stewart and Kate Mohr. In the ready writing category Sarah Stewart placed fourth at district.

The social studies team consisting of Travis Tincher, Alex Barnes, Heath Mayo and Wink ranked first at district and second at regionals. At the regional meet Mayo placed third and will compete at state next month. In current issues and events Medhi Sadat placed fourth and Kevin Kapka took fifth at district.

The spelling team also placed first at district and advanced to regionals where they earned second place. The team consists of Trent Chudej, Kathleen Carpio, Cody Faisst and April Fleming.

In computer applications the team of Herrig, Mayo, Chudej and Yessika Guerra placed second at district. Chudej advanced to regionals and will compete at state after placing third. Megan Nelms took fourth while Allison Adams placed fifth at district.

The math team consisting of Herrig, Mayo, Chudej and Guerra placed second at district. Herrig will compete at state after placing third at regionals. The science team competed at regionals after Kapka and Mayo earned top scores in physics and chemistry, respectively.

The One Act Play, "Still Life with Iris," advanced to Area with Chase Collins earning best actor. Adrienne Hall and Sandrah Patty won all star cast and Emily Tollet earned honorable mention.