Carter UIL Beginning …

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Carter UIL season will begin next week, and many students lack information on the program benefits.

\"\\"\\"\"As posted on their website, UIL (University Interscholastic League) is an extracurricular competition program that covers a wide selection of academic areas against students from other schools within their district.

Students and coaches involved in UIL agree that confidence and learning are enhanced.

Placing in UIL helps with scholarship applications and gives students experience with real-life use of their school work.

“I know that it is a sort of competition between schools, but not much else,” said junior Joshua Cordonnier.

Cordonnier, like other students, was not aware that scholarships and academic development are benefits of being involved in these programs.

“I don’t know what I would get from joining UIL,” said junior Briana Martinez.

UIL Coordinator Claudia Camarillo wants to encourage students to join because she believes that Carter students have the potential to do well in competitions, once they find the subject that they are passionate about.

“We have a variety of topics ranging from math, science, writing, and speaking,” said Camarillo.

Camarillo believes that once students take the first step and try competing, they are opening up themselves to advantages over others.

“There was a senior last year which was awarded a scholarship in the amount $3,500 for a large part due to advancing to the state level competition. It wasn’t easy, but at the end of the day that’s money that the other kids don’t have access to,” said Camarillo.

There are also other benefits according to participants that cannot be learned or gained anywhere else.

“When I’m at a competition, I\\\’m surrounded by intelligent people, and it has such a positive effect on me because it reminds me of the type of people I should be friends with. That’s one of the main reasons I like UIL,” said junior Kenia Martinez.

Joining UIL may bring you new friendships, challenge you to be the best you can be, and teach you that practice eventually pays off.

 

Michael D.

I was born on December 3rd, 2003 in McAllen, Texas. My parents are Jose Adan Del Angel and Elizabeth Flores. I was a calm, observant baby who loved being read to. My family always talks about how easy it was to take care of me and that I never gave them any trouble. My first language was Spanish, as I lived with my grandparents for the first half of my life and they only spoke Spanish. My first brother was born when I was four, and my second brother was born when I was thirteen. When I started going to school, my teachers noticed that I knew everything they were teaching me and that I wasn’t learning, so they had me skip the last half of 1st grade and I started the next semester in 2nd grade. Ever since then, I’ve been much younger than the other people in my grade. As I went through elementary, my parents pushed me to be a good student and always try my best. I met friends in elementary that I am still close with now, I am grateful for them. When I entered Memorial Middle School, my parents were a little more lenient with me and as a result, my grades dropped a little, but I was happier and less stressed. I still had the competitive fire that drove me in elementary, but it would only show itself occasionally. Middle school was my transition from an introverted nerd to an open, easygoing person who could carry a conversation with anyone. I didn’t take my education too serious, only because everything was still easy for me at the time, my ego started growing and growing, until the advanced classes I was placed in gave me a much-needed dose of reality. I found that I was terrible at math, and still am to this day. I began trying harder in my classes because I realized I didn’t know everything. When Mr. Bernal came to recruit kids for Jimmy Carter, I realized that this was my opportunity to take my education to the next level by taking advantage of all the benefits that an early college offers. I applied, and luckily got accepted, and I am grateful for everything that I have learned and all the wonderful people that I have met here. I look forward to finishing high school and graduating with my associate's degree.