Sunday Snapshot - Ava @ UIL

The UIL (University Interscholastic League) is a new phenomenon to us since Ava started school here in Texas.  According to their website, "The University Interscholastic League exists to provide educational extracurricular academic, athletic, and music contests.  The UIL was created by The University of Texas at Austin in 1909 and has grown into the largest inter-school organization of its kind in the world."

Ava was first eligible to compete in UIL events this year when she entered second grade.  For her grade level, there were three events in the academic arena she could try out for and possibly compete in.  Unfortunately, she had pneumonia the week of the try outs!  So she missed out on the first two categories but the teacher in charge of the Creative Writing knew of Ava's talents and decided she would not make her final decision until Ava had returned to school and entered her piece for consideration!  The try out process for Creative Writing consisted of every child in second grade writing a short story.  Out of those entries, the top 12 were chosen and asked to write another story.  From those 12, the top 3 were chosen.  Ava was one of those three!

The Creative Writing team had practice after school every Friday for several weeks. They were able to write their stories early and submit on the day of the competition.  Each child had 30 minutes to write a story based on a series of 3 or 4 pictures they were given.  

Several weeks after the competition, her teacher called me to say Ava had placed 3rd!  We were thrilled!  Especially when we heard that Ava had not even finished her story!  She ran out of time and wasn't able to complete it but the judges liked it enough to give her third place.  That's third place out of all the other contestants (not just in this district)!  Ava was disappointed when she learned she earned 3rd - she really wanted 1st (this girl is SO competitive!)  

While the competition was back in December, they finally had the awards ceremony here at her school at the end of January.  (And let me put my disclaimer in here.  I'm still on a learning curve with my camera and the far distance + flouresent  lighting in the gym made for some challenging shots!)

This is Ava and her friend waiting before the ceremony...so cute they are holding hands!

And then laughing about it...;-)

Here is the Creative Writing Team from Ava's school (that's Ava on the far right, looking away!)  They placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.  Completely swept the category!

Here she is getting her medal...




Admiring her medal...

And posing for pictures for the newspaper...

(This is the entire UIL team from Ava's school)

And posing for pictures for the yearbook!

We're very proud of Ava and the entire team...

For more Sunday Snapshots, head on over to Ni Hao Y'all

Until next time...