Skip to main content
University of Texas at Austin
University Interscholastic League Logo
University Interscholastic League Logo

Subchapter A: ACADEMICS (932)

BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 932: HIGH SCHOOL CURRENT ISSUES AND EVENTS CONTEST

(a) THE CONTEST.

(1) Purpose. The Current Issues and Events Contest focuses on basic knowledge of current state, national and world events/issues through the study of national and international online news sites and/or hard copy, daily newspapers, specialized periodicals, weekly news magazines, journals of political or social nature, and other periodicals that report, summarize or explain world events.

(2) Format. The contest will consist of objective questions and an essay assessing knowledge of important domestic and international issues, events and personalities.

(3) Essay. Contestants who fail to submit an essay shall be disqualified. A judge or judges will evaluate the essays of the eight contestants with the highest scores in the objective portion of the test. If a tie occurs for the eighth slot, then essays of all contestants tied for eighth will be judged. The score will be added to the point total from the objective portion of the test, resulting in an overall score.

(b) ENTRIES.

(1) Individual Competition. Each member high school may enter as many as six individuals in the district meet, which may be limited to a maximum of four individuals with district executive committee approval.

(2) Team Competition. A school shall have a minimum of three contestants compete in order to participate in the team competition. All four members of the winning team will advance to the next higher level of competition.

(c) QUALIFICATION.
Individuals, teams and wildcards qualify for the next level of competition according to Section 902.
(d) TIES.

(1) Individual Competition. All ties shall be broken through sixth place. If a tie exists after the grading of the essays, then those essays involved in the tie will be judged one against the other(s) to break the tie. When a tie occurs, those contestants who are tied shall be awarded a place before any other places are awarded. 

(2) Team Competition. Refer to Section 902 (h)(3)(D).