While most students were starting summer break, several Benbrook Bobcats were still competing, this time on one of Texas’s biggest academic stages.
At the UIL 4A State Academic Meet held May 18-19 at the University of Texas at Austin, Benbrook Middle-High School students turned in one of the strongest performances in school history, led by junior Anabelle Russell.
Russell set a new school record for the highest finish ever by a Benbrook student at the state UIL academic meet after placing third in editorial writing and sixth in news writing. She also became the first Bobcat to earn medals in two separate events at the state championship.
Altogether, seven Bobcats competed across five events and brought home two state medals, with multiple students narrowly missing the podium in highly competitive categories.
Senior Colin Jarchow finished seventh in copy editing after losing a tiebreaker for sixth place. He also placed 11th in the state in spelling.
Seniors Ashley Gevedon and Amy Gonzalez tied for 16th in literary criticism, while the school’s spelling and literary criticism teams both made their first-ever appearances at the state competition. The spelling team finished fifth overall, and the literary criticism team placed fourth, just four points away from third place.
Sophomores Jaxon Anderson and Ella Freeman, along with freshman Jack Gentry, also represented Benbrook at the meet.
School officials also recognized the coaches and staff who helped guide the students throughout the season, including UIL coordinator Mr. Koenig, journalism coach Mr. Peterson, spelling coach Mr. Spoon, literary criticism coach Mr. Veillon, and district UIL coordinator Ms. Maxwell.
For a school community known for rallying behind its athletes and fine arts programs, this week was another reminder that Bobcats compete just as hard in the classroom as they do anywhere else.
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