Wakeland students showcased their academic talent at last weekend’s District University Interscholastic League (UIL) Academic Competition, earning second place in the Speech Sweepstakes and fourth overall in district rankings. The Wolverines’ consistent success across events—from speaking to STEM—underscored the school’s commitment to academic excellence.
“I believe my ability to master the topic was a combination of my experiences and reaching out to authors about their purpose,” said sophomore Tanishtha Khuntia, who placed first in Ready Writing. “A combination of these efforts helped me receive my placement at regionals.”
Six students qualified for the UIL Regional meet after earning top-three finishes: sophomore Anya Sharma (1st, Informative Speaking), Tanishtha Khuntia (1st, Poetry Interpretation & Ready Writing), junior Srusti Doddgatta (2nd, Informative Speaking), senior Perryn Cote (2nd, Lincoln Douglas Debate), freshman Chloe Byrd (2nd, Prose Interpretation), and sophomore Sruhitha Allaparti (3rd, Spelling). Team events also saw strong performances, with Accounting, Computer Applications, Mathematics, and Number Sense each taking third place.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for people interested in public speaking and a chance to raise awareness about current events that affect our lives,” said sophomore Anya Sharma