For some UIL competitors, it takes years of practice and hard work to get to the highest level of competition, which is the State meet in Austin. For senior Calie Brones, it only took one year of being involved in UIL to make it that far.
Brones placed third in calculator at the Regional meet held in Nacogdoches on April 26. She will now get to compete against the best of the best at UT Austin May 19-20.
“I feel accomplished and proud about making it to State,” Brones said. “I look forward to the trip and being able to hopefully place.”
Even though she has been a member of the Battlin’ Bear Band throughout high school, this was her first time to try UIL Academics. She has competed in general math as well as calculator, and she said she has enjoyed being able to learn new strategies.
“I have always wanted to be in math UIL, but with band and basketball, I never found the extra time until this year,” Brones said.
According to Brones, the most challenging part of competing in UIL is waiting on results after taking the test. She and the other UIL students sometimes have to wait hours to leave, which can also be daunting.
In Brones’ free time, she said she tutors anyone who needs help in math, plays tennis, and marches in the band. In the future, she wants to be a forensic psychologist.
“The problem solving I’ve learned will help me in the future,” she said. “Being my first year in UIL, I would say that I’m doing well. I have learned that I am okay at math. I never really thought I had a chance at going to State.”
