Coaches and Events

 

ACCOUNTING
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Coach: Alma Rangel
(956) 580-5300 EXT 
Room 
The Accounting Contest is an hour-long contest consisting of 80 – 100 questions that focus on the elementary principles and practices of accounting for sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations, and may include bookkeeping terminology, the worksheet with adjustments, income statement, balance sheet, trial balance, account classification, journalizing, posting, bank reconciliation, payroll and other items related to the basic accounting cycle.

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
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Coach: Jorge Garza
(956) 580-5300 EXT 
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Computer Applications focuses on word processing speed and accuracy, skill in the use of database and spreadsheet applications, and the integration of all of these. Contestants will have the opportunity to produce two printouts and the mandatory tiebreaker. Each printout will be assigned a weighted point value, based on difficulty, which will be indicated on the contest paper.

This is a technology-based contest, and the goal is for students to have a thorough, working knowledge of these three applications and be able to complete substantial tasks in all of them and to direct data from one application to another. The difficulty of the elements on tests will increase as we get to higher levels of competition.

COMPUTER SCIENCE
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Coach: Christopher Cole
(956) 580-5300 EXT 
Room 405

The Computer Science contest challenges students to study a broad range of areas in computer science and has both an individual and a team component. The competition consists of a 45-minute written exam for both components, along with a two-hour programming contest for teams.

At all levels of competition, individual places are determined solely by written exam scores. All contestants compete for individual honors at all levels of competition. Individuals placing first, second, and third advance to the next level. For the team component, the team’s top three scores on the written exam are added to its score in the programming session to produce an overall team score. First-place teams advance to the next level of competition. 

LITERARY CRITICISM
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Coach: Laura Colegio
(956) 580-5300 EXT 1127
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The UIL Literary Criticism Contest is a 90-minute test in which the student's familiarity with the concepts associated with literary analysis, authors, and works that represent English-language literary history, as well as some of its classical and international influences, is assessed.

Three sections constitute the scored part of the test; a required tie-breaking essay that invites the student to exercise his or her skill in literary analysis to complete the test.

  • Part 1:Knowledge of Literary Terms and Literary History (30 one-point items)
  • Part 2:The UIL Reading List - differs from year to year (20 two-point items)
  • Part 3:Ability in Literary Criticism (15 two-point items)
  • Part 4 The Tie-Breaking Essay


MATHEMATICS 
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Coach: Amanda Villareal
(956) 580-5300 EXT 
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The Mathematics Contest consists of a 40-minute, multiple-choice exam with 60 questions, designed to test knowledge and understanding in the areas of basic mathematics, algebra I and II, geometry, trigonometry, math analysis, analytic geometry, pre-calculus, and elementary calculus.

NUMBER SENSE AND CALCULATOR APPLICATIONS

Coach: Juan Esparza
(956) 580-5300 EXT 
Room 214
NUMBER SENSE
The Number Sense Contest involves a ten-minute, 80-question mental math test covering all high school mathematics courses (See the sequence chart link in the right sidebar). Shortcuts need to be developed and practiced in order to complete and finish the test.

CALCULATOR APPLICATIONS
The Calculator Applications Contest involves a thirty-minute test comprised of 70 mathematical problems that are solved with a handheld calculator:
  • 35 numerical,
  • 21 stated,
  • 14 geometry.

Subject Matter

Calculations involve addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, roots, powers, exponentiation, logarithms, trigonometric functions, inverse trigonometric functions, iterative solutions for transcendental equations, differential and integral calculus, elementary statistics and matrix algebra. In addition to straightforward calculation problems, the contest shall include geometric and stated problems similar to those found in recently adopted high school algebra, geometry, and trigonometry, pre-calculus and calculus textbooks, previous contests, and UIL materials related to the contest.

READY WRITING & JOURNALISM
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Coach: Raul Segundo
(956) 580-5300 EXT 1204
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In the Ready Writing Contest, the students are given two hours to write expository compositions. They have a choice between two prompts, each an excerpt from literature, publications (past and present), or speeches.

SCIENCE: Biology, Chemistry & Physics
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     Coaches: Roxanna Trevino, Ofelia Garza, Angie Culberson-Espinosa

956-580-5300 x-1349
956-580-5300 x-1400
956-580-5300 x-1345

Room158 Room 402 Room 156

The purpose of the Science Contest is to challenge high school students to do a wide range of reading in biology, chemistry, and physics, to gain an understanding of the significance of experiments rather than to recall obscure details, to be alert to new discoveries and information in the areas of science, to gain an understanding of the basic principles as well as knowledge of the history and philosophy of science, and to foster a sense of enthusiasm about science and how it affects our daily lives.

The contest consists of a two-hour objective test with 60 questions – 20 from biology, 20 from chemistry, and 20 from physics.

SOCIAL STUDIES 
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Coach: Isaac Pietrzak
(956) 584-6467 EXT 4414
Room 204


The Social Studies Contest consists of 45 objective questions and an essay. Students are expected to master primary reading selections, as well as specific documents, and to be familiar with general knowledge of social studies concepts and terms. Each year, the contest focuses on a different topic area and a reading list that is provided by UIL.


Current Issues & Events
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Coach: Irene Morin
(956) 584-6467 EXT 
Room 

The Current Issues and Events Contest focuses on a basic knowledge of current state, national, and world events/issues and consists of 40 multiple-choice questions and one essay. The essay is intended to assess the competitor's ability to synthesize and evaluate information and present it in an informed manner.

SPELLING & VOCABULARY
Coach: Justin Kiplinge
(956) 580-5300 EXT 
Room 

Each year, the UIL Spelling and Vocabulary Contest is based on a different vocabulary list provided by UIL and consists of a three-part test:
  • Part I: A fifteen-minute section of 30 multiple-choice questions focused on vocabulary proofreading, and
  • Part II & III: The written spelling of 70 words pronounced aloud to contestants.

ONE ACT PLAY and PROSE/POETRY

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Coach: Angel Leal
(956) 580-5300 EXT 
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LINCOLN - DOUGLASS DEBATE
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CROSS EXAMINATION DEBATE
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Coach: Jaime Rios
(956) 580-5300 EXT 
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EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING
 

Coach: Angela Stingly
(956) 580-5300 EXT 
Room