Multiple students competed in the UIL Regional Academic competition that took place April 25. Out of the seven competing, four students placed and three will advance to state.

During the regional meet, students were busy preparing for their respective events.

“If we weren’t competing, we were studying,” senior Haley Rogers said. “We didn’t get much free time between events.”

Sophomore Anna Cannon placed first in Feature Writing and junior Alex Markham placed first in Social Studies. Others who placed included Rogers, who placed third in Social Studies and senior Caroline Parks, who placed sixth in Poetry. Sophomore Jillian Cheney, junior Madison Maynard and freshman Jay Williamson were the other competing students in the academic event.

“When I first got the results, I freaked out,” Cannon said. “I missed my name the first time I read through because I didn’t expect to get first.”

The next stage of the competition is the state level of UIL, where three of the competing students, Cannon, Markham and Rodgers, will be advancing. In order to advance to State, competitors must place first, second, or third in their respective categories. The State competition will be occurring the week of May 26 in Austin.

“[Advancing to State] is amazing. It’s a dream come true,” Rogers said. “It’s my senior year, and I’m finally going to State.”

The students who did not advance to state can still look upon the competition with a positive outlook.

“Even though I didn’t place, I can kind of think of this as learning more for next year,” Cheney said. “I knew it was going to be tough because I had competed against a lot of the people who were there before.”

Meanwhile, the students who did advance await the competition with some nervousness, but also, more than anything, excitement.

“I’m kind of nervous [for State] because the competition is going to be held differently, but mainly I’m excited,” Cannon said. “I’ve never gotten to State in UIL before, so I’m really excited for the new opportunity.”