The 29-member Saltillo High School UIL team swept the competition, amassing 369 points overall, securing their ranking as the overall first place team at the District Academic UIL contest, according to information released by Saltillo ISD.
The Saltillo students earned three first place and two second place team awards, and 30 individual placing first through sixth place wins in at least 14 different categories at the March 25 District Academic UIL competition hosted by Union Hill High School. Nineteen of those students scored high enough to advance to the Regional Academic UIL Competition to be held in Waxahachie on April 16-17.
The Saltillo UIL team did especially well in journalism, number sense, accounting, current events, and social studies events. A few students also placed in more than one event.
The accounting team consisting of Trinity White, Brianna Tawil, Gunner Tarver and Yadhira Alonso took top honors in accounting. White placed first, Tawil and Gunner Tarver tied for second and Alonso finished fourth.
Tawil also placed fourth in number sense, with Cristian Trejo finishing just behind in fifth, earning a first place team ranking.
Brittney Peeples placed third, Ridge Johnson fourth, Coy Collins fifth and Evan Andrew sixth in current issues and events competition, ensuring a first place team finish.
The Saltillo journalism team’s combined points in the various competitions – which include copy editing, editorial writing, headline writing and news writing contests – also secured a first place team finish.
Ryleigh Redar won first place honors, Maddy Smith second and Garrett Tarver third in headline writing.
Garrett Tarver also won first place honors in editorial writing and ready writing, and finished third in spelling and vocabulary. Amira Terry also placed sixth in spelling and vocabulary, which added to Tarver’s win garnered a second place team finish. Terry also went home with third in copy editing. Julianna Giles won second place honors and Cali Morris was recognized for placing fifth in editorial writing.
Smith also placed third in news writing. Recognized for placing second in feature writing and fifth in ready writing was Olyveah Allen. In feature writing, Katelyn Cline won first place honors and Gabby Ross placed fourth. In news writing, first place honors went to Anna Reed and Paisley Kastner second place honors in news writing.
Ethan White won third place in literary criticism while Luke Ritter placed third in persuasive speaker.
Ridge Johnson placed sixth in science and Jacob Sexton was named an alternate in chemistry. Caden McGill was recognized for placing sixth in mathematics.
The social studies team finished second overall.
The Saltillo Academic UIL Team also included Jordan Metcalf, Bianca Castro, Nora Martinez, Caitlin Bass, Drew Redburn and Anna Reeder, whose contributions helped Saltillo finish first overall at district.
