March 31, 2025 - Shelbyville High School competed at the District 24AA University Interscholastic League (UIL) Academic Spring Meet held on March 27th at Stephen F. Austin State University. Shelbyville competitors scored in nineteen academic contests, qualified twenty-five students for the Region III-AA Academic UIL Meet, scored 756.5 total points and captured the District Championship.
Brynn Bickham was District 24AA Academic UIL high point individual. She scored 81 individual points when she placed 1st in Copy Editing, 1st in News Writing, 1st in Ready Writing, 2nd in Feature Writing, 3rd in Editorial Writing, 5th in Headline Writing, and All Star Cast One Act Play.
Shelbyville students receiving medals at the district meet:
First Place
Jennifer Castro – Accounting
Brynn Bickham – Copy Editing
Kaylin Miller – Feature Writing
Kennedy McArthur – Informative Speaking
Elizabeth Marin – Lincoln Douglas Debate
Elizabeth Marin - Literary Criticism
Brynn Bickham – News Writing
Malachi Sierra – Number Sense
Maddie Lout – Persuasive Speaking
Travis Caporali – Poetry Interpretation
Alana Fuller – Prose Interpretation
Brynn Bickham – Ready Writing
Justin Filz – Science
Justin Filz – Top Biology
Justin Filz –Top Chemistry
Justin Filz – Top Physics
Accounting Team – Jennifer Castro, Ryleigh Bowlds, Caleb Jamison, McKenzie Gillaspie
Literary Criticism Team – Elizabeth Marin, Reagan Raines, Harley Risinger, Ryleigh Bowlds
Number Sense Team – Malachi Sierra, Ethan Jackson, Aiden Swindle, Gaylon Harrison
Science Team – Justin Filz, Ethan Jackson, Malachi Sierra, Cheyenne Berlin
Journalism Team
Speech Team
Second Place
Kaylin Miller – Editorial Writing
Brynn Bickham – Feature Writing
Kaylin Miller – Headline Writing
Travis Caporali – Informative Speaking
Kaden Sims – Lincoln Douglas Debate
Malachi Sierra – Mathematics
Ethan Jackson – Number Sense
Kaden Sims – Persuasive Speaking
Kaylin Miller – Ready Writing
Calculator Applications Team – Justin Filz, Malachi Sierra, Carsey Lovell, Samantha Lugo
Computer Science Team – Cheyenne Berlin, Justin Filz, Eli Shofner, Malachi Sierra
Mathematics Team – Malachi Sierra, Justin Filz, Carsey Lovell, Ethan Jackson
Third Place
Ryleigh Bowlds – Accounting
Caleb Jamison – Accounting
Kaden Sims – Current Issues & Events
Brynn Bickham – Editorial Writing
Harley Risinger – Headline Writing
Payton McGee – Informative Speaking
Zeke Derr – Lincoln Douglas Debate
Justin Filz – Mathematics
Kaylin Miller – News Writing
Aiden Swindle – Number Sense
Gaylon Harrison – Persuasive Speaking
Kaylee Vaughn – Poetry Interpretation
Zeke Derr – Prose Interpretation
Fourth Place
Justin Filz – Calculator Applications
Sophie Ellington – Feature Writing
Kennedy McArthur – Lincoln Douglas Debate
Reagan Raines – Literary Criticism
Cassidy Greer – News Writing
Gaylon Harrison – Number Sense
Trinity Sims – Prose Interpretation
Ethan Jackson – Science
Elizabeth Marin – Spelling & Vocabulary
Fifth Place
McKenzie Gillaspie – Accounting
Malachi Sierra – Calculator Applications
Cassidy Greer – Copy Editing
Brynn Bickham – Headline Writing
Hayden Page – Number Sense
Reagan Raines – Ready Writing
Sixth Place
Kennedy McArthur – Current Issues & Events
Sophie Ellington – Editorial Writing
Presley Sims – Poetry Interpretation
Malachi Sierra - Science
First, second, and third place individual medalists and first place team members will compete at the 2025 Region III-AA Academic Regional Spring Meet at Panola College on April 25th.
Shelbyville Academic UIL coaches attending the regional meet: Brooke Davis (Science), Cole Harrison (Number Sense), Crystal Harrison (Mathematics), Megan Holt (Accounting), Dominique Roland (Literary Criticism), Emily Sowell (Current Issues & Events, Informative Speaking, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Persuasive Speaking, Poetry Interpretation, Prose Interpretation), Claire Windham (Copy Editing, Editorial Writing, Feature Writing, Headline Writing, News Writing, Ready Writing).
“Students who compete in UIL events devote countless hours preparing for UIL academic competition”, said Dr. David Stevens, UIL director of academics. “Like their athletic counterparts, they practice before, during and after school and attend invitational meets and competitions. For virtually every school in Texas, it serves as an extension to the regular classroom for highly motivated, intelligent young men and women.”
“The UIL schedules a greater variety of contests, holds larger meets, and provides services to more students than any similar program in the nation. The UIL offers contests in 23 academic events, including Cross-Examination Debate. “In its own way, each contest is intended to teach the thinking skills students will need in college and in their careers,” Stevens said. “We have tremendous anecdotal evidence from students who testify to the importance UIL academic contests played in their high school careers. We also know that employers want workers who can solve problems, speak effectively and write clearly. Each contest is designed to help students reach those goals.”
