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Barnes Leads Policy and Compliance for League
By Jamie Oberg, UIL Intern | Friday, September 06, 2013 1:52 PM
Leo Barnes is the new Director of Policy and Compliance.
Photo by Kate Y. Hector
Formerly an Associate Vice President for Legal Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, Leo L. Barnes began working at the UIL as the Director of Policy and Compliance in June 2013.
A native Texan who grew up in Houston and attended Spring Branch High School, Barnes received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and graduated cum laude from the St. Mary’s School of Law in San Antonio.
Munoz and Malone Join League Team
By Jamie Oberg, UIL Intern | Friday, September 06, 2013 1:42 PM
This summer, UIL welcomed many new staff members to our team. Among them, Glenda Munoz was hired as an administrative assistant in the academic department, and Mervin Malone as a Senior Mail Clerk assisting the entire office.
Munoz worked as the administrative assistant at the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center (HCWC) in San Marcos after graduating from Texas State with a degree in Sociology.
“Upon graduating, I wanted to help change the world in social services and began a wonderful experience at HCWC,” Munoz said. “During my five years [there], I realized my administrative strengths and shifted from direct services to office management and event planning duties.”
Floyd Hands Over the Reigns, Promises a Smooth Transition
By Richard Floyd, former Director of Music | Friday, September 06, 2013 1:36 PM
What is that old saying? “Time flies when you are having fun.”
How true. I looked up 12 months ago and suddenly realized that 29 years had passed since I was appointed the UIL State Director of Music in 1984. That’s a long time. In fact, there are countless music educators out there who have never known the UIL without Richard Floyd as the State Director of Music. Now, that’s a scary thought!
But, the time has come. The transition is well underway. Dr. Brad Kent, former Fine Arts Director for the Richardson Independent School District, and I have worked in tandem for an entire year and on Sept. 1, 2013 Brad assumed the role of State Director of Music. I will remain on board in a half-time position committed to our goal of making the transition as seamless as possible. George Strickland and Patty Esfandiari continue to be a part of our great UIL music team. For music directors across the state of Texas it should be “business as usual.”
Speech and Debate Readies for an Exciting Year
By Jana Riggins, Speech and Debate Director | Friday, September 06, 2013 1:32 PM
The Texas delegation in Oregon
Welcome to the 2013 - 2014 school year! Just as you are calling out new names on your roll sheet and seeing new faces in your classroom, new and exciting things are also happening at UIL!
The annual speech coach mailing has gone digital. It’s now designed as an e-book and is posted on the speech section of the UIL website. Take the time to access the documents included in the e-book to assist you in having the information you need for a successful year. If you are a new coach, email me (jriggins@uiltexas.org), and I will be happy to send you a complimentary New Coach manual. In addition, there is a section of the speech website that is customized just for you as a first-year coach.
This school year introduces newly designed literary categories for high school oral interpretation contestants and the categories are definitely innovative. For the first time ever, interpreters will be allowed to add theatre, radio, television, movie or documentary scripts into the Category B Prose performance. Poetry contestants get the added benefit of using song lyrics for transitions, as their thematic poetry performance for Category A explores a decade or social/political movement.
Student Congress to Begin this Fall
By Jana Riggins, Speech and Debate Director | Friday, September 06, 2013 1:31 PM
UIL is piloting an exciting new contest this fall, Congress, that models the legislative process of democracy; specifically, the United States Congress.
Within this mock legislative assembly competition, contestants draft legislation (proposed laws and position statements called resolutions) submitted to the tournament, and they research the docket of bills and resolutions dealing with real-world social and political policies prior to the contest to prepare their speeches. At the tournament, students deliver formal discourse on the merits and disadvantages of each piece of legislation, and vote to pass or defeat the measures they have examined. Parliamentary procedure forms structure for the discourse, and students extemporaneously respond to others’ arguments over the course of a session.
Judges evaluate contestants for their research and analysis of issues, argumentation, skill in asking and answering questions, use of parliamentary procedures and clarity and fluency of speaking.
New Music Director Shares 3 Updates to C&CR
By Dr. Brad Kent, Director of Music | Friday, September 06, 2013 1:25 PM
As I sit down to write my first Leaguer article as State Director of Music I would like to share with you my excitement and enthusiasm for serving you, the music teachers in Texas. The beginning of a new school year is always filled with a renewed sense of optimism and energy that comes from the anticipation of having a fruitful year of learning and accomplishment. I hope nine months from now you can look back and see that you not only achieved your goals, but most importantly that you made a difference in the lives of your students. Because, it is through education that we can truly enlighten young minds and shape the future.
From the UIL state music office we have three updates in the 2013-2014 Constitution and Contest Rules. The first amendment basically expands an option that already exists, the second is an addition that was adopted in the spring and the third gives scheduling flexibility to our regions.
Section 1102 (b) (1) (C) in the 2013-2014 Constitution and Contest Rules allows a student playing a string instrument in a varsity or non-varsity full or string orchestra permission to play a keyboard instrument or harp in another competing orchestra representing the same school. This allowance already exists for students playing a wind or percussion instrument in a varsity or non-varsity group; we simply extended the same opportunity to string students.
Coaches Input Sought on State Feature Writing Contest
By Jeanne Acton, Journalism Director | Friday, September 06, 2013 1:21 PM
As I listened to the State Feature Writing speaker this past year, I couldn’t help but be a little frustrated. Our speaker was from the Democratic Republic of Congo. She had witnessed genocide as a young child, and her father was still living in danger on a daily basis. It was an incredible story, but I don’t think the students got the full story. They just didn’t ask the right questions.
And it certainly wasn’t their fault.
When I prepare for an interview, I research. I read everything I can to become as knowledgeable about the topic or person as I can. I talk to people. I work through questions both with colleagues and myself. And I do all of this, BEFORE the interview. When I say before, I mean days, not minutes.
What we ask the competitors at the State Feature Writing contest to do seems contradictory to good journalism. We bring these 60 students into a room and expect them to do an amazing interview with only minutes to prepare. And sometimes, we give them a topic they are unfamiliar with like this past year.
A Musical Journey: Floyd Retires After Nearly 3 Decades at UIL
By Jamie Oberg, UIL Intern | Friday, May 31, 2013 10:29 AM
Richard Floyd, who started at UIL 29 years ago, will retire this summer. On June 27, Floyd will be one of 13 individuals inducted in the National High School Hall of Fame in Denver, Colorado
UIL Music Director Richard Floyd wears his philosophy close to his heart. In fact, it’s merely inches from it.
It’s a necklace that encourages him daily to always take chances and embrace life’s unpredictability.
“If you turn it certain ways it reads ‘Go for it,’” he explained.
Only Floyd, his wife Cheryl, and his son Weston have the necklaces, which Floyd designed himself and commissioned a local jeweler to create.
“Go for it if you have a vision, just move forward with passion,” Floyd said. “That’s what I’ve tried to do, and I hope people remember me as being passionate and caring and committed.”
And Texas music educators will have no problem remembering that.
Softball, Baseball Round Out State Tournaments for 2013
By | Friday, May 31, 2013 8:37 AM
Mineola High School will play for the 3A State Championship at 10 a.m. on June 1. Mineola beat La Grange High School 7-1 in the semifinal game.
Photo by Jeanne Acton
The State Softball and Baseball Championships will wrap up a year of competition for high school athletics.
The Softball Tournament will conclude June 1 at Red and Charline McCombs Field at the University of Texas at Austin. The Baseball Tournament will run Wednesday, June 5 through Saturday, June 8 at Dell Diamond and UFCU Disch-Falk field at the University of Texas at Austin.
But while the tournaments and meets will conclude in early June, training and learning opportunities will continue throughout the summer in all departments of the League.
Academic State Meet Draws Thousands to Austin to Compete
By Jeanne Acton, Journalism Director | Friday, May 31, 2013 8:15 AM
Lindale High school student Jessie Elliot and White Oak High School student Austin Jordan display their medals and plaques after the journalism awards ceremony at the Academic State Meet. Both students were in all four journalism contests, and both students medaled in each of the four contests.
Photo by Suzanne Bardwell
For the 2013 Academic State Meet, held May 20-22, more than 3,000 Texas students descended on the University of Texas at Austin to compete for the ultimate prize – a State Championship.
And while not every student walked away with a gold medal, every student walked away as a winner, said Academic Director Dr. David Stevens.
“Each year, I am in awe of the talents of the students at the State Meet,” Dr. Stevens said. “You don’t make it to that level of competition without intelligence, dedication and commitment.”
This year to add more prestige to the award ceremonies, Dr. Stevens secured auditoriums for most award ceremonies.
“These students deserve the best, and that is what we strive to give them,” he said.