LHS Academic Team wins district

By LPR Staff
Editor/POST-REGISTER

For the first time since Lockhart entered the University Interscholastic League (UIL) 4-A classification 25 years ago, the academic team from Lockhart High School won first place honors in District competition this weekend.
According to LISD Assistant Superintendent Phil McBride, a group of 75 students and 12 teachers ca

me together this year to fetch the brass ring that, try as they might, Lockhart High School teams could never seem to grasp.
“During the nine years I served as principal at LHS, we really focused on improving our UIL academic effort,” McBride said. “We still never placed higher than second overall. We were never able to nudge aside the “big boys” like Hays and Bastrop High Schools and take their place at the front of the line. Until now.”
McBride commended the students, saying that they “jumped up and shouted, “We”re here!”” He also gave well-deserved kudos to LHS UIL program coordinator Sheila Parker, one-act play director-producer Steven Reid and Freshman Campus program coordinator Juanita McBride, who worked with nine other teachers to coach the award-winning UIL team.
“If you know these young people, give them a pat on the back,” McBride said. “Congratulate them for their hard work that led to this achievement and let them know their community is proud of them.”
The UIL academic team jump-started their rousing success last Tuesday with the Lincoln-Douglass debate competition. Later in the week, the One-Act Play group advanced to regional competition and secured additional points for the team. During Saturday”s district meet, LHS students placed in another 14 events, including picking up team wins in two events.
The individual winners list includes:
Lincoln-Douglass Debate: Michael Lewis – third place; Marissa Walker – fourth place.
Literary Criticism: Sara Kimbrough – second place; Brandi Dillon – third place; Kenny Moreland – fourth place; Jenna Seay – sixth place.
Literary Criticism Team: first place.
Current Events: Ben Eisenberg – second place; Rebecca Eisenberg – sixth place.
Current Events Team: first place (B. Eisenberg, R. Eisenberg and Michelle Knudsen).
Ready Writing: Maria Montemayor – third place; Louisa Anchondo – fourth place.
Prose: Kenny Moreland – third place; Maggie Anchondo – fourth place.
News Writing: Michelle Knudsen – first place; Justin Michaelson – third place; Marissa Walker – fourth place.
Feature Writing: Stephanie Dodson – fourth place; Justin Michaelson – sixth place.
Editorial Writing: Stephanie Dodson – third place.
Journalism Team: second place.
Science: Ashlyn Spring – first place, Chemistry; fourth place overall.
Science Team: second place.
Spelling: Maggie Anchondo – first place; Estella Arredondo – second place.
Spelling Team: second place (Anchondo, Arredondo and Brian Limas).
Calculator: Lucas Halley – second place.
Calculator Team: second place (Halley, Chris Alvarez, Lee Miller and Pamela Daugherty).
Mathematics: Max Gainey – sixth place.
Informative Speaking: Patrick Stephenson – fifth place overall; David Powers – sixth place overall.
Persuasive Speaking: Kathleen Taylor – fourth place overall; Rebecca Eisenberg – sixth place overall.
All competitors that placed third or higher will advance to the regional UIL competition on April 23. Additionally, the One-Act players performed one of two plays that advanced to regionals.
“There couldn”t be a better retirement gift from the students of LHS to Principal Charles Red, who is retiring in June,” McBride concluded. “Mr. Red has always been a proponent and head cheerleader for UIL Academics, and bringing home the bacon during his last year is just plum nice.”