Capital Conference Program-Friday, June 27, 2025

ACADEMIC COORDINATORS AND ALL ATTENDEES

• Breakfast of Champions Panel Discussion. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 3
  A panel discussion with individuals recognized as UIL Sponsor Excellence Award winners. Come hear war stories, successes, and how they have survived in order to be recognized for their outstanding work. Continental breakfast will be provided. UIL Staff with Kara Barbee, Clyde HS; Gary Brister, Hico HS; Allison Martin, Aspermont HS; Gena Lea Smith, Van Vleck HS; and Melissa Victorick, Friendswood HS.

ACADEMIC COORDINATORS AND ALL ATTENDEES

• High School Academic Coordinators and Coaches Update. Room Guadalupe 
  This is an overview for the academic coordinator for creating a successful UIL Academic program. New and experienced coaches are welcome to join in the conversation. David Stevens, UIL academic director.

ACADEMICS

• From HS Headlines to A+ Editorial. Room Pecos
  Bridge the gap between UIL A+ Editorial Writing and successful high school journalism programs. Join experienced educators Ivan Silva and Luis Alaniz as they share valuable insights on fostering foundational editorial writing skills at the middle school level that directly translate to success in high school journalism. This session explores initial planning for A+ Editorial programs, effective strategies for teaching editorial writing concepts, resource allocation, and engaging students in persuasive writing. Designed for coaches, administrators, and UIL coordinators, this presentation offers practical advice and shared experiences to cultivate strong editorial writers who are well-prepared for the challenges of high school journalism. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to build robust A+ Editorial programs that serve as a crucial stepping stone for future high school UIL journalists. Ivan Silva and Luis Alaniz, La Joya ISD.
• Literary Criticism: Explicating Poetry-Open and Closed Form. Room 103
  We will be focused on open-form and closed-form poems. Mark Bernier, state contest director.

STEM

• Computer Science – The First 15. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 2
  A 90-minute in-depth session. The topics for the first 15 multiple choice questions are set by UIL. Learn what those topics are and how to prepare your students for those topics. Delta McFarland, Needville HS.
• HS Science – The Big Picture. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 5
  A complete overview of the Science contest, how to prepare your students and what to expect from the test writers. Includes a roundtable discussion about topics of interest to you and that you want the test writers to know. Dr. Brian Anderson, Dr. David Bixler and Meghan Pavlicek, state contest directors.

A+

• A+ Meet Director Training: Coordination Without the Chaos. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 6
  Are you preparing to serve as a UIL Meet Director for your elementary or junior high district competition? Whether you're new to the role or looking to streamline your process, this session will equip you with the tools and strategies needed for a successful event. Led by a seasoned presenter with experience hosting multiple district meets annually, this session will provide practical guidance on getting started, staying organized, and avoiding common pitfalls. Learn how to build an effective conflict pattern, coordinate events smoothly, and maintain clear communication throughout the meet process. Leave with templates, checklists, and confidence to lead your upcoming UIL meets. Kimberly Sloane, Center ISD.

SPEECH

• From There to Here: Growing a Program in a Culture of Success. Room 107
  For all coaches. This session will cover recruitment, funding and sustaining a speech and debate program in a small rural school district. We will share our story of how our program was created from a completely blank canvas. Mark Tribett, Principal, Dilley HS.
• Seek and Find: Documentation! Room Zlotnik Ballroom 4
  For all coaches. Be actively involved in discovering the necessary documentation for Poetry and Prose selections. Audience members will be given performance sources to participate in a “seek and find” activity learning the various steps that can be incorporated to adequately meet documentation requirements. Come have fun with us! Ann Shofner, Shawn Duthie, Gary Brister, State Meet Documentation checkers.
• Congress 101: Building a Strong Foundation in Congressional Debate. Room Brazos
  For all coaches. New to Congressional Debate? This session is the perfect starting point for coaches looking to enter the world of UIL Congress. We’ll cover the basics – from understanding the event structure to finding key resources, writing effective legislation, and preparing speeches. Learn strategies for navigating the docket, meeting deadlines, and most importantly, identifying the students who thrive in this contest – articulate speakers, sharp researchers, active listeners, and thoughtful note-takers. Whether you're coaching one student or building a full team, this session will help you get started!  Louann Shipman, Stanton HS.

THEATRE

• Building from the Ground Up! Room Zlotnik Ballroom 1
  How do you build a theatre program? How do you keep it going? Let's talk about it! From small to big, I've taught it all! This session includes trials/errors, networking that strengthens you as a director, growing pains of program numbers, and so much more! Jackie Kana, Ingram ISD
• OAP Rules, Updates and Starting the Season Strong. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 3 
  (Double Session) UIL Calendar of events and updates to the contest. This session is for all levels. Followed by a Q&A. Paula Rodriguez, UIL Theatre Director.
• AI and Theatrical Projection Design. Room Comal 
  Interested in creating projections but don’t know where to begin? In this session I will take you through the process of how I used AI to create projections for one act play. Amy Medina, Magnolia ISD

ACADEMIC COORDINATORS AND ALL ATTENDEES

• Discussion Forum: Challenges and Troubleshooting. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 6
  This session provides an opportunity to share and discuss challenges, issues, or celebrations with others. The goal is to discuss situations and seek solutions or collaborations to provide the best UIL Academics experience at any school site. This forum creates networking opportunities to promote UIL and support others. Erika Cooke, Midland Legacy HS and Daniel Rosales, El Paso ISD.

ACADEMICS

• Write Me In, Coach. Room Guadalupe
  Practicing for any contest that requires writing means doing more than just writing practice prompts. In this session, we’ll break down the process of coaching writers into shorter activities that bring the fun and bring success. Lori Oglesbee, writing consultant; Alyssa Boehringer, UIL Journalism Director.

STEM

• Computer Science – The First 15 (continued) Room Zlotnik Ballroom 2
  Continuing from 9:30. Delta McFarland, Needville HS.
• HS Calculator Applications Room Pecos
  Session description TBA. Andy Zapata, UIL math consultant.
• HS Science – The Big Picture (continued). Room Zlotnik Ballroom 5
  Continuing from 9:30. Dr. Brian Anderson, Dr. David Bixler and Meghan Pavlicek, state contest directors.

A+

• A+ Chess Advanced. Room 107
  Ready to take your chess game - and your students' - to the next level?  This fun, hands-on workshop explores essential Tactical tools: forks, pins, skewers, discovered checks, and more.  Together, we’ll look at real game examples, solve puzzles, and discover how these seemingly small moves can lead to big breakthroughs.  We’ll also dive into the world of pawn structure - isolated, doubled, backward, and passed pawns - and how these unsung heroes shape strategy from start to finish.  Whether you're hoping to bring Chess into your classroom for the first time or looking to build a thriving school Chess club from the ground up, this session will offer practical tips, fresh ideas, and inspiration to share the game you love. Dr. Jeff Day, Texas Tech Chess.
• The Odyssey! It’s Here for A+ Middle School. Room 103 
  Introducing the Middle School Theatrical Design Pilot Contest Prompt for 2025-2026. Strategies on how to get your students ready to compete. Rachael Gomez, state contest director 

SPEECH

• CX Debate Topic Analysis: A Focus on the Negative Position – Part I. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 4
  For novice and veteran coaches. This session will explore additional topic discussion with an examination of negative positions on the Arctic topic. Dr. Rich Edwards, Baylor University.
• Lincoln Douglas Debate: Making the Most of Rebuttals. Room Brazos
  For novice high school oral interpretation coaches. Join us for a discussion of contest rules, fundamentals for turning students into interpretive readers and tips, tricks and timelines for preparation that can make you a confident coach. Shawn Duthie, Holliday HS, State Advisory Committee member. JP Fugler, Lindale HS. 
• Brainstorming New Categories for 2026-2027. Room Zlotnik Ballrrom 1
  For all coaches. Let’s have a fun discussion of where the categories can go in the future! Bring your creative ideas to the table as we strive to challenge our performers, encompassing the objectives of the UIL Prose and Poetry contests. Moderators: Jana Riggins, UIL State Director and M’Liss Hindman, Oral Interpretation consultant. 

THEATRE

• Chair Duets- Building Blocks of Devising. Room Comal 
  (Double Session) Chair Duets are a wonderful (and simple) tool to teach ensemble and devised Theatre tactics made famous by the National Theatre in London. Join as we create a Chair Duet in simple steps that you can immediately take back into your classroom. Cheryl Painter, Rouse HS, Head Theatre Director.
• OAP Rules, Updates and Starting the Season Strong. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 3
  (Double Session) UIL Calendar of events and updates to the contest. This session is for all levels. Followed by a Q&A. Paula Rodriguez, UIL Theatre Director.
• The Odyssey! It’s Here for A+ Middle School. Room 103 
  Introducing the Middle School Theatrical Design Pilot Contest Prompt for 2025-2026. Strategies on how to get your students ready to compete. Rachael Gomez, state contest director 

ACADEMICS

• Guiding Students to Success in the Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition. Room Brazos
  The Essay Competition provides students with the opportunity to build their research and writing skills by selecting an individual, organization, or movement that has made a significant positive contribution to the history or culture of Texas and detailing those contributions in a well-written essay. Come for a discussion of how to guide students in selecting a subject and locating sources as well as the advantages of participating in this event. Gail Herman, Sulphur Springs HS.
• Comma Get It. Room Pecos
  You’ve seen your students edit. Sweet kids. Bright. But sometimes couldn’t spot a comma splice if it walked up and introduced itself. We’ll break down what the UIL Copy Editing test is really asking and how to get your kids to nail each part. We’ll talk analyzing, strategy, and how to survive coaching copy editors with your dignity (mostly) intact. Stephen Green, Conroe Caney Creek HS.
• Social Studies: Advanced. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 5
  Analyze the specifics of the 2025-26 UIL Social Studies Topic. Andy Bates, state contest director.
• Mastering the Accounting Regional Test. Room 103
  Tips on getting students to the Regional meet, then understanding the four main concepts that must be learned to advance to State. Kay Whitton, state contest director.

A+ ACADEMICS

• UIL A+ Academics Demystified: What You Need to Know. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 6
  Are you a new UIL A+ coach or coordinator for students in grades 2-8 or curious how this program can help support your high school UIL Academic program? This session covers the basics of how programs are built and the potential it offers to students to help them excel. Lisa Parker, UIL A+ Director.

STEM

• Introduction to the High School Number Sense Contest. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 3
  Contest basics, including rules, test structure, strategies, and more. Larry White, state contest director.

SPEECH

• CX Debate Topic Analysis: A Focus on the Negative Position – Part II. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 4
  For novice and veteran coaches. Continued discussion focusing on examination of negative positions on the Arctic topic. Dr. Rich Edwards, Baylor University.
• Creating Interp Performances: Using AI as a Helpful Tool. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 1
  For novice and veteran coaches. There’s no doubt that Artificial Intelligence has changed the world as we know it, and it’s important we learn how to use this powerful tool effectively. Join a discussion of how to harness the power of AI to assist in finding literature, structuring programs, and adapting literature for performance. Barb Ixba, Westlake HS.
• Leveling UP Your Extemp Game! Room 107
  For novice and veteran coaches. Extemp is one of the most beneficial activities translating directly into adult life - knowing what is going on in the world, being able to discern between reliable and overly biased sources, and the ability to converse about a variety of topics at a moment's notice are skills that translate directly into college, career, and the small talk of everyday life. Let’s explore the strategies that exceptional extemp speakers use in competition to be successful. U - Unified analysis, P - Preparation as a lifestyle rather than just a competition strategy. Melissa Witt, Pine Tree HS.

THEATRE

• Chair Duets- Building Blocks of Devising. Room Comal 
  (Double Session Continuing from 10:30) Chair Duets are a wonderful (and simple) tool to teach ensemble and devised Theatre tactics made famous by the National Theatre in London. Join as we create a Chair Duet in simple steps that you can immediately take back into your classroom. Cheryl Painter, Rouse HS, Head Theatre Director.
• Design Tips and Tricks for UIL OAP. Room Guadalupe 
  Rodrigo will offer strategies in teaching a student-centered workshop that outlines how to create a successful short film. Based on Filmmaking for Teens by Troy Lanier and Clay Nichols, this session provides essential tips and strategies for students aiming to start in the UIL Film Contest. Rodrigo Sanchez, Midland College. 
• OAP Ready: The Top 10 Fixes Every Show Needs Before Contest. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 2
  Harnessing AI to analyze hundreds of comments from these performances, director and clinician Katie Cross has distilled the most common and easily addressed feedback into a dynamic, insight-rich workshop. Covering everything from blocking clarity and emotional nuance to ensemble focus, this session delivers a field-tested Top 10 list of what consistently succeeds—and what risks falling flat. Katie Cross, Independent.

Lunch Break 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

ACADEMIC COORDINATORS AND ALL ATTENDEES

• Preparing your Academic Teams for Travel. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 6
  Prepare for some good laughs, plenty of the “Oh no’s” and sample documentation to help make life less stressful and more fun. Tyler Sullivan.

ACADEMICS

• Leaguetown Town Hall. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 1
  In this roundtable discussion, longtime residents of Leaguetown will touch on each aspect of the five journalism contests and give their tips for success. Come with great questions and the mayor might give you a key to the city. Alyssa Boehringer, UIL Journalism Director; Stephen Green, Conroe Caney Creek HS; Lori Oglesbee, writing consultant.
• CIE and Social Studies: Judging the Essay. Room Brazos
  Discuss the rules guiding judging and the best practices for how essays should be scored from Invitationals to State. Andy Bates, state contest director & Bradley Wilson, past state contest director
• Tackling the Accounting State Test. Room 103
  Many concepts are added from Regional to State that take more than a month to master. Explore the concepts and ways of presenting them before April! Kay Whitton, state contest director.

STEM

• NO TRICKS in Number Sense! Zlotnik Ballroom 3
  A 90-minute in-depth session demonstrating and discussing problem types and shortcuts from the HS sequence chart #1-40. Participants are encouraged to bring problems from each section they would like to discuss. Larry White, state contest director.
• Robotics- Introduction to BEST. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 5
  Learn the basics and benefits of BEST robotics competition, including the fall season structure, available resources, and opportunities to engage your school community. Johannes Starks. BEST of Texas. 

SPEECH

• Analyzing Literature for Performance. Room Pecos 
  For novice and veteran coaches. Students often want to jump immediately to the oral part of performing but taking the time to analyze the literature is the key to taking an oral interpretation performance from good to great. Using concepts from the book Audition by Michael Shurtleff, learn how to train students to bring their characters to life. Barb Ixba, Westlake HS.
• AI, Ethos, and Evidence: Guiding the Next Gen Debater. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 2
  Explore how Artificial Intelligence is impacting debate and how students can responsibly integrate it while upholding ethos and evidence standards. This workshop, guided by UIL rules on AI use, offers practical strategies to prepare ethical, informed, and future-ready debaters. Emily Sowell, Shelbyville HS.
• Approaches to Coaching Congress and Activities to Strengthen Skills. Room 107
  For novice and veteran coaches. A sharing time of ideas on how to engage students in this exciting event, coaching methods, and activities that make your congressional representatives stand out in the chamber. Bring your success strategies to share with others. Moderator: Tonya Harper, Whitesboro HS.

THEATRE

• The Meisner Technique: Living Truthfully Under Imaginary Circumstances. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 4
  This engaging, on-your-feet workshop introduces theatre educators to the foundational tools of the Meisner Technique—an approach rooted in living truthfully under imaginary circumstances. Designed for beginners, the session focuses on The Repetition Game, Meisner’s signature exercise that sharpens the actor’s focus, presence, and ability to respond honestly in the moment. Dr. Jeff Day, Texas Tech University.
• No Budget for OAP, No Stage for OAP, No Theatre Degree, No Problem! Room Guadalupe
  Join this award winning 2A Director on an in-depth look at how to build a successful OAP program with little to no resources or support. This workshop is open to all classifications and highly recommended for smaller schools. Please join the discussion with an open mind and a willingness to change. Gary Brister, Sponsor Excellence Award Winner 2025, Hico ISD
• Scripted in Advance. Room Comal
  This student-centered workshop is designed to help your students create and develop ideas for short films. Participants will learn how to move from the dream phase to actual production. Ideal for those looking to enter the UIL Film Contest but unsure where to start, this session offers practical guidance and inspiration. You will need something to write with to start brainstorming! Rodrigo Sanchez, Midland College.

ACADEMIC COORDINATORS AND ALL ATTENDEES

• Keeping It Together: Organizational Strategies for the HS UIL Meet Director. Room Pecos
  Are you stepping into the role of UIL Meet Director or looking to refine your process for a smoother, more efficient meet? This session is designed to equip high school meet directors with practical organizational strategies that will carry them from the first planning stages to the final awards ceremony. Learn how to get organized before your first meeting, what to include in your planning agenda with participating schools, and how to manage the meet day with clarity and confidence. Attendees will receive a comprehensive set of digital and printable documents including checklists, timelines, meeting agendas, and verification tools to help streamline communication, scheduling, and results processing. Whether you’re hosting your first district meet or your fifth, you’ll leave this session with tools and insights that help you keep it all together. Kimberly Sloane, Center HS.

ACADEMICS

• Power Revision for Any Type of Writing. Room 103
  These strategies offer immediate and constructive feedback to your writers without reading every draft. A+ Academics, Journalism and Ready Writing Coaches as well as coaches of essay contestants will find useful tips. Lori Oglesbee, writing consultant.
• Literary Criticism: Using the Handbook to Literature. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 6
  Tips of how to prepare for the contest using the Handbook to Literature. Mark Bernier, state contest director.

STEM

• NO TRICKS in Number Sense! Room Zlotnik Ballroom 3
  (Continued from 1:45) Description TBA. Larry White, state contest director.
• Science – Physics Deep Dive. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 5
  A demonstration of how the contest director comes up with questions, an overview of what to expect in the 2025-2026 UIL season including the new book, and a Q&A session on 2025 contest problems. Dr. David Bixler, state contest director.

A+

• Speak Out: Coaching A+ Oral Reading. Room 107
  Train your students to bring literature to life. This session equips coaches with strategies for helping students analyze, interpret, and perform poetry, short stories, and children’s literature with clarity and emotion. Learn techniques for vocal delivery, pacing, and audience engagement that deepen comprehension and performance. Gary Brister, Hico ISD.

SPEECH

• Mentoring Connections. Room Guadalupe
  Join us and pair with a “Mentoring Buddy” for 2025-26! If you are a seasoned educator looking to share your experience, wisdom, and resources WE NEED YOU! If you are a new teacher, UIL Speech and/or Debate Coach, guess what? WE NEED YOU too! Email Melissa Witt (mwitt@ptisd.org) before Capital Conference with your name, school, district, town/city, and your designation as a MENTOR or MENTEE and we will pair and provide time for you to dialogue with your match! Don’t worry if you’re new and didn’t know to email ahead of time – come on in and we will match you up! ALL MENTEES will leave with resources to take with them! Melissa Witt, facilitator, Pine Tree HS.
• Demystifying Theory in Policy Debate. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 4
  For novice coaches. This session will build upon the previous “Demystifying” sessions by addressing some commonly used arguments built upon an understanding of the event rather than the position in the round. Why is topicality important? Why should you answer and pay attention to the “standards” debate? What is presumption? How do you handle framework? Why use kritiks and are they scary? And why debate about debate? There will be opportunities to ask questions, and you will leave with a student-friendly resource about theory. Though this session is designed for beginners, all levels of coaching proficiency are welcome! Chad Flisowski, Pasadena ISD.
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Training Confident and Capable Speakers. Room Brazos
  For novice and veteran coaches. Come discover drills and activities to make extemp fun for students but also develop strong speakers. Ann Shofner, state contest director.
• Building LD Debaters. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 1
  For novice and veteran coaches. The goal of our activity is skill development. This session will center around strategies that encourage student growth and foster independence in the context of LD debate. JP Fugler, Lindale HS.

THEATRE

• The Three-Day Shoot. Room Comal
  A student-centered workshop focused on completing principal filming for a short film. Participants will learn strategies for keeping actors committed, managing time effectively and avoiding schedule overruns. Rodrigo Sanchez, Midland College. 
• The Other Half of the Picture: Intro to Sound Design. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 2
  Step into theatrical sound design, where creativity meets technical expertise! We will discuss finding sound effects and music that can be used for free and run through an orientation to Go Button, the app that you should be using to manage your sound cues. If you have an iPad, it is recommended (but not required) to bring it for this session. Samuel White, Paradise ISD.

ACADEMIC COORDINATORS AND ALL ATTENDEES

• Building a UIL Program with Limited Resources. Room 103 
  Advice on building a UIL Academics program as you battle over-involved students, outside commitments, and other reasons buy-in becomes difficult as we all are still navigating the post-COVID world. This session is designed to be a conversation between veteran and newer coaches and coordinators as the village of UIL Academics has so many experts. Robert Blain, Carver Magnet HS-Aldine ISD.

ACADEMICS

• AI Tools for Writers.  Room Brazos
  Adequate preparation for UIL writing contests involves cultivating a toolbox of examples, honing critical thinking abilities, and developing compelling writing strategies. This session will cover the best methods and tools for leveraging artificial intelligence to equip students for success in both preparation and pre-contest writing. All platforms covered will be affordable or free to access for discussed purposes, and attendees will leave with sample prompts for each use case. Cameron Hurta, state judge.

STEM

• Introduction to UIL Robotics. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 6
  Repeat of Thursday 9 a.m. sesion. An overview of program structure, options and guidelines for participation, and more. David Trussell, UIL STEM Director. 
• Science – Chemistry Deep Dive. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 5
  A demonstration of how the contest director comes up with questions, an overview of what to expect in the 2025-2026 UIL season, including any possible addition of topics, and a Q&A on 2025 contest problems. Dr. Brian Anderson, state contest director.

A+

• Stand & Deliver: Coaching A+ Modern Oratory & Impromptu. Room 107
  Build confident, prepared speakers by exploring effective methods to train students in research, structure, and delivery for both prepared and impromptu speeches. This session focuses on critical thinking, argument construction, and public speaking techniques that help students think on their feet and communicate with impact. Gary Brister, Hico ISD.
• A+ UIL: Supporting Coaches and Engaging Students. Room Pecos
  This session is designed for elementary and junior high UIL coordinators and new coaches looking to grow and strengthen their programs even when wearing multiple hats. Learn practical ways to support fellow teachers, increase student participation, and build lasting engagement. Leave with ready-t-use ideas and a clear plan to energize your campus UIL efforts. Kimberly Sloane, Center ISD.
• A+ Calculator. Room Comal
  Learning how to solve percent increase/decrease, percent change and percent error problems on the MS calculator test. Be sure to bring your calculator! Andy Zapata, UIL A+ Consultant.

SPEECH

• Teaching Debaters to Adapt to Their Judge. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 4
  For novice and veteran coaches. Understanding the formal role of the judge can make you a better coach. This session discusses paradigms and how to teach your student debaters the significance of how those paradigms impact their choices of strategies during the debate. Dr. Rich Edwards, Baylor University, UIL Debate consultant.
• Coach Like a Gardner: Planting and Nurturing a Speech Team. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 1
  Coaching is more than just teaching, adding a layer of complexity to our already challenging educator roles. This session will help you begin founding, building, and maintaining a speech and debate team through the lens of a gardener who wants to see their plants survive and grow. Topics will include recruiting, time management, leadership styles, goal setting, tournament scheduling, booster clubs, and social media. There will be opportunities to ask questions, and you will leave with a student-friendly resource about building a team. Chad Flisowski, Pasadena ISD.

THEATRE

• Setting the Stage: The Future of OAP. Room Zlotnik Ballroom 3
  Join us for this roundtable discussion as we discuss hot topics specific to the OAP contest and solve the world’s problems. Paula Rodriguez, UIL state theatre director.