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| | Great Job Javelinas! ! ! |
CRYSTAL CITY, April 4, 2007. Crystal City High School’s U.I.L. Literary Teams traveled to Devine High School on March 26 and March 29, to compete at the 28 AAA UIL District Meet. Qualifiers from this meet will compete at regional competition at Kingsville on April 13 and 14.
The CCHS UIL Computer Team swept their event! Corina Tapia is this year’s District 28 AAA Computer Applications Champion, Ruben Alonzo was a very close 2nd place and Alvaro Garza, last year’s district champion, won the 3rd place medal. Unfortunately Ruben will not be able to compete at Kingsville as he will be visiting the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as their guest after being accepted at this very prestigious institution. CCHS UIL Computer Teams have produced 6 District Champions in 10 years that this event has existed. The Computer Applications Coach is D.B.Díaz.
Journalism competitors also experienced success. Katherine Benavides is this year’s District 28 AAA Feature Writing Champion. Sylvester Salinas won a 3rd place medal in Editorial Writing and Adriana Hernandez won a 3rd place medal in Feature Writing. The Journalism Coach is Inez Valerio.
Accounting competitors included Corina Tapia who won a 3rd place medal and advances to regional competition. Alyssa Rodriguez won a 4th place medal and Nora Medina placed 5th. Both Aylssa and Nora advance as alternates. Their Accounting Coach is Ninfa Cadena who also serves as the District U.I.L. Coordinator.
One-Act-Play thespian Christi Sanchez was awarded an Honorable Mention. Sylvester Salinas and Keiomy Serna both were awarded All Star Cast Awards. The One-Act-Play Director is Esther López.
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Head UIL Coordinator- Ms. Cadena |
 Ms. Cadena coaches the Accounting team and is co-director for the One Act Play. Mrs. Lopez asked her if she would be willing to help with the One Act Play, plus she enjoys watching the students act out their parts.
Ms. Cadena is also the head UIL Coordinator, she's in charge of planning the UIL meets and the places we get to eat at (yum!)
Ms. Cadena decided to coach the Accounting team because that is what she enjoys most. She is also currently trying to get the Computer Science team started. She stated, "I have always had intelligent students, but this year I have students that are also enthusiastic about learning new things, students who are not afraid to work, to try, to learn from their mistakes, students who are willing to take the initiative. These are the type of students that are the most successful and the most fun to work with."
Ms. Cadena loves watching the face and expressions of students when they have succeeded at something they have worked so hard at. "To see a student as they hear their name called as one of the top best students is an awesome feeling of pride in that I had something to do to help them get there."
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One Act Play Director- Mrs. Lopez |
 Mrs. Lopez chose to coach the One Act Play team due to her experience teaching theater arts to high school students. She loves to watch movies and to help her students learn to act through the films. Mrs. Lopez believes that by coaching the One Act Play, she is having an impact on a students acting abilities. Her advice to UIL members is to listen to your coach, and if you're in the One Act Play, to act naturally (of course!) |
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Journalism Director- Mr. Valerio |
 Mr. Valerio chose to coach the journalism team because of his background in photo journalism. He believes that students will benefit from his experiences. Mr. Valerio will be coaching the Crystal City UIL team for the first time. He also enjoys working with students. His advice to students is to practice, practice, and practice, listen to your coach, and for journalism members to read newspapers and magazines.
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Computer Application Director- Mr. Diaz |
 Mr. Diaz did not choose to coach this event. His old principal, David Castillo, "volunteered" him for this event. He was also "volunteered" to coordinate a district U.I.L. meet during his rookie year.
Mr. Diaz stated that he has benefited from this program. "The CCHS U.I.L. Computer Applications Team has been a power house almost from the beginning. In 10 years we have produced 5 district champions (when we didn't get 1st place we usually got 2nd and 3rd) and we have advanced to regionals every year. We advanced to State once."
Mr. Diaz expects at least one of our Hawgies to win at state this year. "We have swept invitationals 1st through 3rd several times, but last year we swept 1st through 4th at San Antonio."
What Mr. Diaz likes most about the U.I.L. Computer Applications is demolishing the competition. "I enjoy arriving at a meet and seeing fear in the other coach's eyes." Jaime Escalante once said "Students will rise to your level of expectation." Mr. Diaz's likes testing this theory by expecting nothing less than perfection. His team motto is: Vini, Vidi, Vinci. (Translation: We came, we saw, we conquered)
Mr. Diaz feels he has lost a little bit of the joy. "In the beginning I was the instigator in firing up the team and my computer skills were VASTLY SUPERIOR compared to my team members. Lately my team members can wipe the floor with me." Mr. Diaz believes that his team's skills are VASTLY SUPERIOR to his own. He stated "My main contribution now is to EXPECT NOTHING LESS THAN PERFECTION." If one of his members gets 2nd, he yells and asks "Why not 1st!" If they get 1st, he asks "Why isn't PERFECT!" If they get a perfect test (which as happened several times), he yells and asks "Why didn't you finish in less time?"
Mr. Diaz advice to ANY U.I.L. Competitor is "Don't go to a meet to compete. Go to win! First you must study your contest's rules, find out where you win or lose points. Grade your own tests. Go to initationals to get rid of "butterflies' and silly mistakes. Learn from your mistakes. Your goal is perfection and anything less than perfection is failure. (Don't be to hard, D.B.) Keep track of your district competitors. Score high SAT's and ACT's BEFORE advancing to State, so that you qualify for scholarships." |
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Spelling Director- Mrs. Bermea |
 Mrs. Bermea decided to coach the spelling team because she enjoys spelling words, she believes that it is interesting and fun. (which, according to Mrs. Bermea it is!) Mrs. Bermea stated that she has benefited from coaching the spelling team and that she enjoys working with motivated and dedicated students. What she likes most about this program is the enhancement that it provides students. Her advice to U.I.L. members is to practice, study, and practice more! "The best way to ensure success is to prepare for it."
Mrs. Bermea will also be coaching the Informative and
Persuasive Speaking team this year. Good Luck Mrs. Bermea! |
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Calculator Director- Mr. Cerna |
 Mr. Cerna chose to coach this event because he felt that it would extend his abilities as an educator and a coach. "I really get energized when I am able to show them some fresh, new concepts and they really get the idea of how to use them. I love getting the kids motivated and prepared for competitions. I know that I am making a difference with these kids. They have the heart for mathematics and they want to just go out there and conquer all the questions."
Mr. Cerna stated, "I really enjoy seeing them in practice, getting ready and asking questions."
Mr. Cerna would tell his students to just try their best. They know all the material because it had been covered. He would let them know that no matter what they placed, it was still a great year to work with them. He feels that they have accomplished so much and is very proud of them. He also stated, "I feel like I have a great team and I know that they are confident and relaxed going into these competitions."
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Number Sense Director- Mr. Talamantez |
 Mr. Talamantez enjoys coaching the Number Sense and Science teams because he likes to share his own knowledge and experience with the students, he feels that he is definately benefiting from this experience. Mr. Talamantez likes working with students that have the same interest in math and science as him. The advice he gives to his students is, "Practice, practice, and practice." |
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Social Studies Director- Mr. Garcia |
 "I like history", states Mr. Garcia. "I enjoy working with the students and teaching history", this is what he likes most about the U.I.L. program. The advice he gives to his students is the 3 D's: Desire, Discipline, and Dedication.
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