ACCOUNTING
Coach: Irene Morin
(956) 580-5300 EXT 1129
Room 407
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
Coach: Nancy Barboza
(956) 580-5300 EXT 1183
Room 405
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 tie breaker. Each printout
will be assigned a weighted point value, based on difficulty, which will
be so 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
Coach: Ernesto Gonzalez
(956) 580-5300 EXT 4418
Room 208
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. 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.
JOURNALISM
Coach: Pat Coleman
956-580-5300 x-1141
Room 433
The UIL sponsors four journalism contests - newswriting,
feature writing, editorial writing and headline writing. Students
compete at the district level, and then the top three places advance to
regionals. From regionals, the top three places advance to state
competition. The UIL journalismprogramhas seen increasedparticipationin recent years. Many contestswinnershave gone on to excel as professional journalists.
LITERARY CRITICISM
Coach: Laura Colegio
(956) 580-5300 EXT 1127
Room 435
The UIL Literary Criticism
Contestis
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 completes the test.
- Part 1:Knowledge of Literary Terms and Literary History (30 one-point items)
- Part 2:The UIL Reading List - differs year to year (20 two-point items)
- Part 3:Ability in Literary Criticism (15 two-point items)
- Part 4:The Tie-Breaking Essay
MATHEMATICS, NUMBER SENSE, AND CALCULATOR APPLICATIONS
Coach: Jose Nava
(956) 580-5300 EXT 1300
Room 142
MATHEMATICS
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
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). Short cuts need to be developed and
practiced in order to compete 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
Coach: Estela Salinas
(956) 580-5300 EXT 1144
Room 141
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
Coaches: Ofelia Garza, Angie Culberson-Espinosa, Roxanna Ramos (not pictured)
956-580-5300 x-1400
956-580-5300 x-1345
956-580-5300 x-1349
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 and Current Issues & Events
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
social studies concepts and terms. Each year, the contest focuses on a
different topic area and a reading list that is provided by UIL.
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:Lila Torguson
(956) 580-5300 EXT 1156
Room 432
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 and proofreading, and
- Part II & III: The written spelling of 70 words pronounced aloud to contestants.
ONE ACT PLAY
PROSE AND POETRY
LINCOLN - DOUGLASS DEBATE
Coach: Christopher Fernandez
(956) 580-5300 EXT 1119
Room 111
EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING
Coach: Eloisa Alvarado-Saenz
(956) 580-5300 EXT 1169
Room149
CROSS EXAMINATION DEBATE