Academics News
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Finding the Voice in Every Student
By Jeanne Acton, UIL Journalism Director | Friday, March 30, 2012 11:10 AM
My 7-year-old son wants to be a writer.
He told me this the other day.
“I like telling stories, mommy,” he said as we were driving home from school. That day at school, he had spent his afternoon crafting a story about playing Frisbee golf with his dad over spring break."
As you can probably guess, my face beamed with pride.
10 Ways Being a Theatre Major Prepared Me for Success
By Tom Vanderwell | Friday, March 30, 2012 11:08 AM
(This article was reprinted with permission from Tom Vanderwell. The article first appeared on his blog at: http://tomvanderwell.wordpress.com/.)
I have a confession to make. I was a theatre major in college (yes, complete with the snooty but appropriate ”re” spelling). I’ll wait for you to stop snickering. Judson University (it was Judson College when I attended), the small liberal arts college outside of Chicago labeled the major course of studies as “Communication Arts” which is what I tend to put on resumes and bios because I realize that “theatre major” tends to elicit thoughts such as “Do you want fries with that?”
When I chose my major, I had no pipe dreams about becoming a professional actor. I did it because more than one wise adult had advised me that my actual major in college would have less impact on my eventual job search than having the actual degree. “Study what you love” I was told, “not what you think will get you a job.” I listened for once and chose theatre because I’d done it all through my secondary education, I had relative success doing it and because I simply loved being a part of it. Fortunately, my parents gave me absolutely no grief about my choice (unlike most of my fellow majors. Thanks mom and dad!)
Dr. David Stevens Named New Academic Director
By Jeanne Acton, UIL Journalism Director | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 3:26 PM
Dr. David Stevens
The new UIL Academic Director, Dr. David Stevens, wants academic coordinators and coaches to know he’s been in their shoes.
“I’ve been stuck on the online entry system – trying to figure out how it works,” he said. “I’ve forgotten my UTEID. I’ve missed the deadline to set up our UIL meet. I know what they are going through.”
As a former teacher, academic coordinator, Spring Meet chair and school administrator, Stevens has been in the chaos and understands how hard it all can be.
“I know teachers are at school from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for all of their classes, and then after school all of the extra stuff, like UIL, comes in,” he said. “Teachers have the best intentions to make deadlines and fill out paperwork, but once they walk in through the school door, all these fires happen. They have to deal with real life.”
That’s where Stevens plans to step in.
Selection of Debate Topic Steeped in Research, not Randomness
By Jana Riggins, Speech and Debate Director | Tuesday, February 07, 2012 10:28 AM
Rebecca Meeks (in red) from Devine HS who was the Texas representative last year defends her paper before the National Wording Committee.
Photo by Jana Riggins
After a rigorous academic process extending more than one and a half years, the cross-examination debate topic for next season, 2012-2013, has been announced. The official topic is Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its transportation infrastructure investment in the United States.
Most people in the debate community are unaware of how resolutions are selected. When the topic goes public, you’ve probably asked yourself, “Where did that topic come from?” I promise, it wasn’t random or haphazard. The process for picking a policy debate topic the entire nation will debate for a complete school year is actually quite sophisticated and steeped in research and analysis. (It’s debate – of course it would be!)
Because all states use the topic, the National Federation of High School Associations coordinates the process. NFHS hosts an annual meeting that allows the debate community to gather to discuss potential topics. It is open to debate coaches, students and the representative from each state association.
A Letter to Theatre Students
By Luis Muñoz, Theatre Director | Tuesday, February 07, 2012 10:23 AM
Many of you have requested that we reprint this letter to our students from the March 2007 issue of The Leaguer. I have updated a few things but the message remains the same.
Dear Student,
I hope that you are having a wonderful time preparing for this year’s contest play. I can assure you that your director worked hard to find the right play and to choose the best cast members. Sometimes those choices are very hard and as theatre students we don’t always understand how and why certain casting decisions and crew assignments are made. Trust your director and make sure that you deliver. They have the best intentions. Sitting around for six weeks feeling bad about the role you were assigned never helps your ensemble. Neither does boasting about the lead. Accept what you are given with humble appreciation and make the most of what you get. Give it your all in rehearsal and performance. The play’s the thing!
Tips for Preparing for Computer Science Contest
By David Trussell, Assistant Academic Director | Tuesday, February 07, 2012 9:48 AM
Spring Meet district competitions are only about six weeks away, so plans should be well underway for your meet. For the Computer Science contest, here are several important reminders and items for consideration:
• Like many of the academic events, Computer Science includes individual and team components. A school must have three or four contestants to participate in the team component. It’s perfectly okay to enter only one or two contestants; in that case the contestant(s) would compete for individual honors only and take only the written exam.
• Computer Science is one event with two parts, a written exam and a hands-on programming test. The same contestants from a school participate in both parts. There are NOT separate entries for the written exam versus programming.
Ode to the Drama Teacher
By Samantha Bennett, Guest Column | Tuesday, February 07, 2012 9:40 AM
(Permission was granted by the author for the reprint of this column. You can find her work at: http://www.TheOrganizedArtistCompany.com)
I am not exaggerating when I say that I owe my very life to the teachers, coaches and camp counselors (yes, I went to theatre camp – Camp Harand, anyone?) who taught me how to act and, in the process, taught me how to live.
This past October I was delighted to be asked to present two days worth of workshops for CETA (California Educational Theatre Association: http://www.cetoweb.org) at their annual retreat at Asilomar, CA. We had a blast. o honor them and the extraordinary work of teachers everywhere, I wrote this poem.
Ode To The Drama Teacher
And as you stand there: Aghast
Because we’re three days from Opening Night and
Scholastic Journalism Week: Celebration Time
By Jeanne Acton, UIL Journalism Director | Tuesday, February 07, 2012 9:28 AM
It’s time to party.
Or at least celebrate.
Feb. 19-25 is Scholastic Journalism Week.
Too often, advisers and students forget to celebrate and honor themselves. Deadlines rule the roost in journalism rooms — especially in February.
Computer Application Contest Changes with Evolving Technology
By Linda Tarrant, State Computer Applications Director | Tuesday, February 07, 2012 9:23 AM
Since the Computer Application Contest is based on Microsoft Office, we will continue to make incremental changes to keep abreast of the evolving technology. This year, the competitors will be using only Office 2007 or Office 2010. The format of these two versions of software is fairly consistent.
Access seems to have the most differences, including the following:
• Access 2010 has a new File ribbon that replaces the features found on the Office button of Access 2007.
• Access 2010 report wizard has no Style element, so tests primarily use the "None" style in Access 2007 to produce similar reports.
Academic Director Retires from League
By McKensie Wallesen, UIL intern | Tuesday, February 07, 2012 8:44 AM
At the Capital Conference, Academic Director Treva Dayton presents a session to help academic coordinators organize and plan the upcoming year.
Photo by Julianne Coyne
Academic Director Treva Dayton may finally have time to eat.
After 22 years of service as a UIL contest consultant or staff member, Dayton decided to retire on Jan. 31.
“Often I would go to Treva’s office in late afternoon, and she would look up from a pile of work and say, ‘Oh my gosh! I haven’t eaten today,” Journalism Director Jeanne Acton said. “It was crazy. She was so driven in her work that food just escaped her mind.”
While eating isn’t Treva’s main focus for retirement, she will have more time since she no longer will be running the largest academic competition program in the nation.