Category: Athens

Three teams of two from Athens High School competed in District UIL CX (cross examination) debate in Mabank Thursday. Juniors True Head and Matthew Hernandez will advance to state for the second year in a row. Sophomores Jordan Ramirez and Jose Sanchez are state alternates, and freshmen Madeline Clay and Baylee DeShazo placed fifth. Pictured (from left) are Ramirez; Sanchez; Hernandez; Head; Andrew Cornish, who assists at tournaments; Speech and Debate Coach Nicole Cornish; Clay and DeShazo. (Toni Garrard Clay/AISD)

By Toni Garrard Clay/Athens ISD Communications Specialist

This was a year of firsts for elementary UIL academics at Athens ISD. It was the first year to hold a citywide meet before students could advance to district competition, and first was the place Athens earned at the district meet in Crandall on Jan. 23. Teams made up of second- through fifth-graders from Bel Air, South and Central clinched victory after facing students from Kaufman, Mabank, Crandall and Ferris.

“We are so proud of how well they represented their schools and Hornet Nation as a whole,” said Renee Campbell, the educational services director for AISD. “The kids and their coaches worked very hard, and the results speak for themselves.”

“UIL encourages them to get involved in their campus in an extracurricular way at an early age,” said Kalli Brunson, a fifth-grade teacher at Central Athens Elementary who coached for the dictionary skills event. Two of her team members, Seth Red and Chance Lowe, tied for second.

Continue reading “AISD elementary students win district academic meet”

Twenty-two Athens High School choir students competed in the UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest in Whitehouse Friday. Half of them will continue on to compete at the state level.

The following students received an excellent rating on their solo or ensemble: Odeth Diaz, Sierra Franklin, Logan Fuller, Audrey Lambert and the ensemble of Bethany Oglesby, Amy Schoonover and Felicity Walker.

The following students received a superior rating on their solo or ensemble: Taegan Allen, Trevor Baumgartner, Missy Boister, Maranda Brunken, Janey Conditt, Ethan Condon, Irais Hernandez, Lorana Hethcoat, Jackson Killgore, MacKenzie Knotts, Darien Lambert, Jacob Moore, Kaitlyn Pair, Michelle Sanchez, Oglesby, Schoonover, Walker, and the ensemble of Condon, Fuller, Moore and J. Brenden Wallace.

D. Lambert, Baumgartner, Boister, Brunken, Condon, Moore, Oglesby, Schoonover, Walker, and the ensemble team of Condon, Fuller, Moore and Wallace advance to the State Solo and Ensemble Contest in May.

Choir Director Bridget Scott said students prepared for the competition by working outside of class to prepare songs to perform before the judges. “I am so proud of the hard work they put in to earn excellent and superior ratings,” she said.

(Courtesy photo)

Athens Middle School seventh and eighth grade choir members show off their medals after competing in the Texas Music Educators Association Region 21 Middle School Solo and Ensemble Contest Friday in Tyler. The students performed solo before a judge, and each of them earned a Division I superior rating.

“I’m so proud of them for challenging themselves, for working diligently to achieve their goals and for representing our choir, our school and Hornet Nation with pride,” said Choir Director Sherrilyn Ewing. “I am also extremely proud that every one of our nine students who committed to the challenge followed through. They all remained eligible and showed up to sing.”

Pictured are (back row, from left) Spencer Williamson, Jillian Calkins, Dakota Emanis, Hunter Justice, Ashlin Harrod, and (front row, from left) Hannah Barber, Katelyn Hanson, accompanist Beverly Swyden, Edgar Pinedo, Tristan Woods and Ewing. (Courtesy photo)