UIL ACADEMIC CONTESTS
The
University Interscholastic League offers a wide variety of academic contests
for high school students, encompassing many elements of required high school
coursework. These contests build upon
the academic skills developed in the classroom and offer students an
opportunity to stretch their talents above and beyond those requirements. The complete rules for each contest are
contained in the UIL Constitution and
Contest Rules, which is updated every year and posted on the UIL web site
at: http://www.uil.utexas.edu/academics/
Accounting
Maybe you’re on your way to becoming
a CPA or you just really know how to take care of money. Make a stop at this contest and pick up a few
skills in bookkeeping, balancing and banking before you take one of the Big
Five accounting firms by storm.
The contest
focuses on the elementary principles and practices of accounting for sole
proprietorship, partnerships and corporations, and includes bookkeeping
terminology, the work sheet with adjustments, income statement , balance sheet,
trial balance, account classification, journalizing, posting, bank
reconciliation, payroll and other items related to the basic accounting cycle.
Calculator Applications
Calculate this: add your math skills
to a college application standardized test or resume, and success might just be
the result. Math is power in today’s job
market, so multiply your potential by trying out this problem-solving contest.
The contest
includes calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division, roots, powers, exponentiation, logarithms, trigonometric functions
and inverse trigonometric functions. In
addition to straight forward calculation problems, the contest includes
geometric and stated problems similar to those found in algebra, geometry and
trigonometry textbooks, previous contests and League materials related to the
contest.
Computer Applications
For the ‘tech’ generation: Become technologically savvy while testing
your work processing, database and spreadsheet skills. You’ll become familiar with the finer points
of computer skills such as formatting copy, editing, creating charts and
integrating applications.
Computer
Applications focuses on word processing speed and accuracy, computer skills in
database and spreadsheet, and integration of applications. Skills tested include formatting copy, mail
merge, headers/footers, editing, proofreading, spreadsheet, graphs/charts, and
integration of all applications.
Computer Science
Bill Gates used ot program computers
in his spare time, and apparently he did something right. Get your start in computer science by
learning the details of Java programming, and try your hand at writing some
programs of your won.
The computer
Science Contest challenges high school students to gain an understanding of the
significance of computation as well as the detailed of Java programming, to be
alert to new technology and information, to gain an understanding of the basic
principles of computer science, and to give students a start in one of the most
important fields of the Information Age.
Current Issues & Events
You’ll go around the world in 40
multiple-choice questions as you test your knowledge on current state, national
and global events. Watching news shows
will pay off when you answer the essay question at the end and take a closer
look at one current event.
The contest
focuses on a basic knowledge of current state, national and world events and
issues. The contest consists of 40
multiple-choice questions and an essay that challenges students to understand
not just what is happening in the world today,
but why and how it’s happening and what it means to us as citizens of
the United States.
Editorial Writing
Have you ever won a medal for simply
writing down your opinion in an organized way?
In editorial writing, you’ll take a stand on a controversial school
issue and back up your stance with facts and examples.
This
contest teaches students to read critically, to digest and prioritize
information quickly, and to write clearly, accurately and succinctly. Emphasis is placed on mechanical and
stylistic precision, lead writing, use of direct and indirect quotes, news
judgment, and the ability to think deeply, to compare and contrast and to argue
or defend a point of view persuasively.
Feature Writing
If you’ve got a knack for developing
a story, this contest is for you. You’ll
be provided with the facts and quotes you need, and then it’s up to you to
piece together a journalistic feature story your readers will remember.
The Feature
Writing Contest teaches students to read critically, to digest and prioritize
information quickly and to write clearly, accurately and succinctly. Emphasis is placed on the same writing skills
as in other UIL journalism contests, as well as the ability to write
descriptively.
Headline Writing
Put the finishing touches on the
news as you decide what’s most important about six news stories and top them
off with headlines. The challenge is to
be creative in your word choice and adhere to the word and line counts as you
write tomorrow’s headlines.
The contest
teaches students to read critically, to digest and prioritize information
quickly, and to write clearly, accurately and succinctly. Emphasis is placed on the ability to discern
key facts and to write with flair and style in order to tell and sell a story.
Literary Criticism
You’ll need a critical eye as you
scan through literary history. You’ll
analyze literary from a provided reading list as well as literary passages not
on the list. A short essay serves as the
tiebreaker that could put you over the top.
The contest
requires knowledge of literary history and of critical terms, and ability in
literary criticism. Students are
required to select the best answers involving judgment in literary criticism
and to analyze literary passages from both the reading list and other
sources. A tiebreaker is required in
which the student must write a short essay dealing with a specified topic about
a selected literary passage.
Mathematics
Algebra, geometry, pre-calculus, oh
my! Come armed for this test with your
knowledge and understanding of a variety of mathematical subjects such as
geometry and trigonometry as you compete against your peers.
This
40-minute, 60 question contest is designed to test knowledge and understanding
in the areas of algebra I and II, geometry, trigonometry, math analysis,
analytic geometry, pre-calculus and elementary calculus.
News Writing
In this contest, you decide what’s
fit to print as you make your way through a set of facts and quotes, and pick
out what’s important. You’ll work on
deadline for the newspaper as you create a cohesive story that inquiring minds
have a right to know.
The News
Writing Contest teaches students to read critically, to digest and prioritize
information quickly, and to write clearly, accurately and succinctly. Emphasis
is placed on mechanical and stylistic precision, lead writing, use of direct
and indirect quotes, and news judgment.
Number Sense
In this contest, you decide what’s
fit to print as you make your way through a set of facts and quotes, and pick
out what’s important. You’ll work on
deadline for the newspaper as you create a cohesive story that inquiring minds
have a right to know.
This
80-question mental math contest covers all high school mathematics
curricula. All answers must be derived
without using scratch paper or a calculator.
Ready Writing
Ready, set, write! If you like to make your own path, this
contest is for you. A short prompt will
provide the inspiration for your creative ideas as you explore a topic or prove
a point.
Students
write expository compositions that attempt to explain, prove or explore a topic
in a balanced way, allowing the argument and the evidence given to be the
deciding factor in the paper. Students
are given a choice between two prompts, each an excerpt from literature,
publications or speeches. The essay is judged
on interest, organization and style.
Science
Forget just memorizing facts,
because the science contest is all about the importance of experiments and
scientific discoveries. Your knowledge
of biology, chemistry and physics will help you select the correct answers on
this 60-question multiple-choice test.
Individual awards are given in each subject area, so even students who
have not yet taken all the science courses can excel.
The Science
Contest challenges students to read widely in biology, chemistry and physics,
to understand the significance of experiments rather than to recall obscure
details, and to be alert to new discoveries and information in the areas of
science. It is designed to help students
gain an understanding of the basic principals 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.
Social Studies
If your interest lies in movements,
wars, history and politics, this contest will give you more than enough
material to explore. The contest
requires you to apply your understanding of history and culture through
multiple-choice questions and an essay.
The Social
Studies Contest requires students to expand and apply their knowledge of
governmental systems; historical trends, movements and eras; and the physical
setting of the earth, particularly as it applies to cultural environments. Each year the contest focuses on a selected
topic area, and a reading list is provided.
Spelling & Vocabulary
Whether you’ve already aced the SAT
verbal section or you could use some extra practice, this contest keeps you
focused on the details. By the end, you
may correcting you teachers’ spelling and using words your coach has never
heard.
Spelling
& Vocabulary promotes precise and effective use of words. The three-part contest consists of
multiple-choice questions covering proofreading and vocabulary, and words that
are written from dictation. The
vocabulary-building and spelling components of the contest are important
complements to the high school academic curriculum and are indicative of
vocabulary words contained on standardized tests such as SAT, PSAT and ACT.
CX Debate
If you’ve never shied away from an
argument and you have a zest for winning, give Cross Examination Debate a
try. As a part of a two-person team, you
will prepare your stance on a particular policy in advance and then face an
opposing team in competition. You’ll
have to think on your feet to defend your ideas.
Cross-Examination
Debate trains students to analyze a problem, conduct thorough and relevant
research, and utilize principles of argumentation and advocacy in presenting
the most effective case for or against a given proposition. Debate provides invaluable training in
critical thinking, quick responses, defending worthy ideas and attacking invalid
ideas, It teaches students to tolerate
other points of view. Debate exists only
in democratic societies, and no democratic society can exist without debate.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate
In this one-on one values debate,
you’ll prepare to argue for and against a given resolution. After researching the topic in advance, it
will be up to you to make arguments that defend your point of view and debunk
invalid claims from your opponent.
Lincoln-Douglas
debate provides excellent training for development of skills in argumentation,
persuasion, research and audience analysis.
Through this contest, students are encouraged to develop a direct and
communicative style of delivery. Lincoln-Douglas
debate is a one-on –one argumentation in which debaters attempt to convince the
judge of the acceptability of their side of a proposition. One debater will argue the affirmative side
of the resolution and the other will argue the negative side of the resolution
in a given round.
Informative Speaking
This contest is all about watching
the clock and knowing your material.
You’ll draw a current event and have 30 minutes to comb through files
you’ve collected throughout the year.
Then you’ll present a speech that informs your audience on all aspects
of the current event you’ve researched.
The purpose
of informative speaking 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. This contest is an exercise in clear thinking
and informing the public on the issues and concerns of the American people. The objective is to present information in an
interesting way, and an attempt should not be made to change the listener’s
mind beyond presenting the information.
Persuasive Speaking
Similar to informative speaking, in
this contest you have 30 minutes to review your research files on a particular
current event and come to a conclusion to arguer about that topic. The goal of your speech is not just to
present relevant information, but to convince your audience that your position
is solid.
This
contest trains students to analyze a current issue, determine a point of view,
and organize and deliver a speech that seeks to persuade listeners. The objective is to reinforce the views of
listeners who already believe as the speaker does, but even more so, to bring
those of neutral or opposing views around to the speaker; s beliefs or proposed
course of action. This contest should
especially appeal to those who have a strong argumentative urge and who wish to
advocate reforms or outline solutions to current problems.
Poetry Interpretation
In poetry interpretation, you’ll
choose a selection that fits in the given category to present to an
audience. This contest emphasizes
literary analysis through expressive oral reading.
The purpose
of this contest is to encourage the student to understand, experience and share
poetry through the art of oral interpretation.
The goals of this contest are to encourage the contestant’s exploration
of a variety of literary selections, and to enhance the performer’s and
audience’s appreciation of literature through the performer’s interpretation of
the work.
Prose Interpretation
Those with a flare for expressive
oral reading have a chance to combine their passions in this event. You’ll select a piece of prose in a given
category, then carefully explore the art of expressing it orally before an
audience
This
contest encourages the student to understand, experience, and share prose works
through the art of oral interpretation.
It encourages the contestant’s exploration of a variety of literary
selections and enhances the performer’s and audience’s appreciation of
literature through the performer’s interpretation of the work.
One-Act Play
Before you make pack up your bags
and shuffle off to Broadway, try out the League’s One-Act Play contest. You’ll have the chance to work with other
actors and people interested in technical theatre at your school to produce a
theatrical production. You’ll get a
chance to take your show on the road and compete against other schools and you
might just make it to the state competition.
Many of Texas’ best theatre and film professionals participated in this contest while
in high school.
The aims of
the One-Act Play Contest are to satisfy the competitive, artistic spirit with
friendly rivalry among schools, emphasizing high quality performance in this
creative art; to foster rivalry among schools, emphasizing high quality
performance in this creative art; to foster appreciation of good acting, good
directing and good theatre; to promote interest in that art form most readily
usable in leisure time during adult life; to learn to lose or win graciously;
and to increase the number of schools which have adopted theatre arts as an
academic subject in school curricula.
Texas Interscholastic
League Foundation Scholarships
The Texas
Interscholastic League Foundation has funded of $20 million in scholarships to
more than 15,000 students since 1954.
The TILF was chartered in 1959 and will soon be celebrating its 50th
Anniversary. For the past several years
the foundation has disbursed over $1 million each year to students who have
earned eligibility by competing in the UIL Academic State Meet. Students may apply for TILF scholarships the
year they are graduating from high school, but may earn eligibility any of
their high school years. Scholarship
values range from $500 for one year only, up to $15,200 payable over four
years. Applications are accepted April 1st
through the Tuesday following the UIL Academic State Meet. Current and updated web site information
should be available beginning March 1 of each year. Approximately 50% of web site at:
http://www.uil.utexas.edu/tilf/index.html