To many individuals, UIL can be really dreading and nerve racking, however, there are  those who are prepared, excited and ready to take the win.

The most recent UIL competition was  at Rowlett High School on May 30. UIL is an event where students compete in different areas of expertise.  Competitors choose to participate because it allows them to expand their knowledge and it gives them a chance to improve their passions.

 Having the opportunity to  study, prepare, and rehearse and try again year after year is the most valuable asset to a competitor.

“Last year I was a rookie I did not  know how competition worked or what to expect,” junior A’Ceria Jackson  said “but this year I was ready, I rehearsed for a week straight and had to get out of my comfort zone and go deep into a touchy subject.”

When students sign up they aren’t sure what to expect at competition especially if it’s their first time competing.  This year A’ceria presented her piece about a person being able to talk about their own body and how one should be proud and comfortable about it.

This was an extremely personal topic that challenged A’Ceria’s ability to deliver her masterpiece as a whole.

“I had to let loose, because I was holding back since it’s something that hit so close to home,” A’Ceria said. “Don’t get me wrong, I am comfortable with who I am.”

Competitors learn how to step outside the box and perform something meaningful to their full potential. They learn to adapt to circumstances they are in to deliver their story.

Being able to express oneself the way they envision it when rehearsing for competition is their main objective, along with winning and changing history.

After competing for various years and not being able to take a win home, the theater crew last year was able to make their school and themselves proud and accomplished.

“After 11 years of not advancing at all, we finally advanced to our second zone,”  senior Maddie Crosby said “ It was a pretty big deal for us and a bigger deal for Naaman.”

In 2018, they were able to accomplish something that no one could in the past.

Like any other competitor they struggled with timing and adjusting to the circumstances they were given.

“We  had a month and a half to get all roles and lines memorized and ready to go for completion,” senior Maddie Crosby said.

This is yet another asset competitors earn from participating in UIL.

The theater crew accomplished their goals even with the hard circumstances they faced throughout the whole process.