Want to join a winning team?  Then sign up for UIL Academics and be part of the winning tradition!  The Cobra UIL Academic Team has won the District Level Competition the past 23 out of 24 years (21 consecutive), if you count 2020 and we were well on our way to winning district that year.  The sponsor of each event (listed below) has a description of their event and a sign-up list on their door.  Pick your event(s) and sign up with the Sponsor of that event!!\

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UIL Event Descriptions

Event:  Accounting

Sponsor:  Mrs. Kinsfather

The accounting contest requires students to take a challenging exam that includes comprehensive thinking skills as well as application skills as they apply their knowledge of accounting.  The accounting team consists of four participants.  You can advance individually or as a team.

Event:  Calculator Applications

Sponsor:  Mrs. Patton

This contest includes calculations involving basic arithmetic, roots, powers, exponentiation, logarithms, and trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions.  In addition to straightforward calculation problems, the contest includes geometric and stated problems.  There are four people on a team.  You can advance individually or as a team.

Event:  Computer Applications

Sponsor:  Mrs. Franz

In the computer applications contest students are asked to create two printouts in a 30 minute timed testing period.  The problems will test the student’s knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, and/or database and integration.  The contestant needs to have good keyboarding skills.  Three students compete in this competition as individuals.

Event:  Computer Science

Sponsor:  Mrs. Weixelman

This contest tests your computer programming knowledge and skills using the JAVA language.  It is a 2-part contest.  The first part consists of a 40 problem, 45-minute multiple choice test and the second part is a 2 hour hands-on programming portion.  Four people take the multiple choice test and 3 people are on the programming team.  This is both an individual and team competition.

Event:  Congress

Sponsor:  Mrs. Patton

Within this mock legislative assembly competition, contestants draft legislation (proposed laws and position statements) submitted to the tournament, and they research the docket of bills and resolutions dealing with real-world social and political policies prior to the contest to prepare their speeches. At the tournament, they give speeches on the merits and disadvantages of each piece of legislation, and vote to pass or defeat the measures they have examined. Students extemporaneously respond to others’ arguments over the course of a session.  The number of students can be 3 to 5 from each school.

Event:  Current Issues and Events

Sponsor:  Mrs. Griffith

The contest will challenge your knowledge of existing state, national and international events and the specific issues concerning these events which have occurred during the present school year.  Participants are required to write an essay in addition to the objective multiple choice questions.  There are four people on a team and you can advance individually or as a team.

Event:  Debate

Sponsor:  Mrs. Patton

Cross-Examination Debate (Team debate) - The purpose of this event is to train the student to analyze a problem, to conduct thorough and relevant research, and to utilize principles of argumentation and advocacy in presenting the most effective case for or against a given proposition.  (Teams consist of two debaters.)

Lincoln-Douglas (Solo debate) - This event is a one-on-one argumentation in which the debater attempts to convince the judge of the acceptability of his/her side of a proposition.  One debater shall argue the affirmative side of the resolution, and one debater shall argue the negative side of the resolution in a given round.

Event:  Essay Contests

Sponsor:  Mr. Turner

Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition

The competition provides students an opportunity to explore the contributions of African Americans to Texas history, as well as honoring the legacy of its namesake, Barbara Jordan. The theme of the competition is "African Americans in Texas: Past and Present."

Latino History Essay Competition

The competition provides students an opportunity to explore the contributions of Latinos to Texas history.  The theme of the competition is "historical and cultural legacies of Latinos in Texas history."

Event:  Extemporaneous Speaking

Sponsor:  Mr. Turner

Informative Speaking – The purpose of this event is to stimulate an active interest in current affairs at the state, national, and international levels, and to teach the student to present extemporaneously in a clear and impartial manner the facts about a subject as they appear in the best available sources of information.  Three contestants compete from each school.

Persuasive Speaking – The purpose of this event is to train students to analyze a current issue, determine a point of view, and then organize and deliver extemporaneously a speech that seeks to persuade listeners to agree with that viewpoint.  Three contestants compete from each school.

Event:  Journalism

Sponsor:  Mrs. Bullock

There are five journalism contests and in each contest, there are 3 contestants from each school:

Copy Writing Contest

Copy Editing teaches student the vital skills of proofreading and editing to create accurate, clear and succinct writing. Emphasis is placed on the ability to find and correct grammatical, spelling, punctuation, AP style and factual errors.

Feature Writing Contest

A feature tells the reader a story. It uses quotes liberally and allows the reader to see the story through detailed description and vivid writing. Whereas a news story focuses on timely and newsworthy information, a feature story is similar but appeals to the reader in a more emotional way, often focusing on one angle of the story. News Writing Contest

If you are drawn to writing in a direct, “short and sweet” fashion, this contest is for you! The news writing contest is a contest in which the contestant will be given a fact sheet from which they will develop a news article. News stories focus on timely and newsworthy information.

Editorial Writing

If you love to share your opinion on an issue, this contest is for you! An editorial is a short persuasive response. Students must advocate a specific point-of-view in response to a prompt.

Headline Writing

Calling all witty writers! Participants read six short articles given to them and write prescribed headlines for each.

Event:  Literary Criticism

Sponsor:  Mrs. Deyton

Do you enjoy reading novels, plays, and poems?  If so, this event might be the one for you.  Literary Criticism is the study of major literary works as well as literary terms.  The contest will consist of multiple choice questions and an essay question.  There are four people on a team and you can advance individually or as a team.

Event: Mathematics

Sponsor:  Mrs. Weixelman

If you are a student of advanced mathematics and enjoy mental challenges, then UIL mathematics is the event for you.  Covering everything from Algebra I through Calculus, this test promises to stretch your brain.  This test pits you, your calculator, and pencil against multiple choice questions.  There are four people on a team and you can advance individually or as a team.

Event:  Number Sense

Sponsor:  Mrs. Darilek

If you enjoy working math problems in your head and perform well under pressure, then number sense is the event for you.  With only 10 minutes allowed, it’s just you and your pencil against the test.  No calculator, no scratch work, and no erasing allowed.  There are four people on a team and you can advance individually or as a team.

Event:  One Act Play

Sponsor:  Ms. Auble

One Act Play is a place where actors and crew come together to form a company/family.  For the lucky few chosen (15 actors, 5 crew, 4 understudies, 6 rally squad) you will get a chance to learn and stretch your theatrical skills in a friendly competitive environment.  Come help Industrial Theatre continue a legacy of excellence and honor.

Event:  Poetry or Prose Interpretation

Sponsor:  Mr. Turner and Ms. Auble

It’s acting with a script!!!  If you are theatrical or enjoy being a little dramatic then come experience, and share poetry or prose, through the art of oral interpretation.  Three contestants compete from each school for each type of interpretation.

Event:  Ready Writing

Sponsor:  Mrs. Kurtz

Ready writing is an event in which a writer sits down with a dictionary and a thesaurus, receives two prompts, and proceeds to write/type a semi-opinionated essay of approximately 750-900 words on the prompt of his/her choice.  One of the prompts is usually a “current event” of observation made by a person, and the other is usually literary-based.  Three contestants compete from each school.

Event:  Science

Sponsor:  Mrs. Patton

The science test consists of multiple-choice questions, 1/3 from each subject area of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.  The purpose is to challenge you to do a wide range of reading in the areas of science.  Six students compete with the top four being on the team and you can advance individually or as a team.

Event:  Social Studies

Sponsor:  Mrs. Wilson

We have a topic this year that is as relevant to what is going on in our world today as it is historical.  This year’s topic is “The Roar of the 1920s and Their Echo Through Time:  From the Great War to the Great Depression”.  Primary Reading Selection is: New World Coming: The 1920s and the Making of Modern America by Nathan Miller.  A variety of study materials are provided including a phone app.  This minute contest consists of multiple choice questions and an essay.   There are four people on a team and you can advance individually or as a team.

Event:  Spelling & Vocabulary

Sponsor:  Ms. Anderson

Want to do well on the verbal section of the SAT test?  Participating in UIL Spelling & Vocabulary will improve your chances!  Not only will you learn correct spellings of words, but you will also learn their meanings.  Challenge yourself!  A small investment of time now could pay off big in the future.  There are four people on a team and you can advance individually or as a team.

Event:  Theatrical Design

Sponsor:  Ms Auble

The purpose of this contest is to foster appreciation of good theatrical design and to satisfy the competitive, artistic spirit with friendly rivalry among schools.  This year’s prompt comes from “Frankenstein” from the Novel by Mary Shelley in a new adaptation by Dorothy Louise.

Event:  Young Filmmaker’s Festival

Sponsor:  Ms. Miller

Schools may submit up to 3 films in each category:  narrative, documentary, computer/digital animation and traditional animation.  Narrative and documentary films shall be 3 – 7 minutes in length and animation films shall be 30 seconds to 3 minutes in length.  Originality, cinematic storytelling, and technical execution are the basis of the scoring.  Schools shall receive a written evaluation of the film via e-mail at each level.  Students may or may not work together on a submission.