Earlier this month 121 Vernon Middle School students traveled to Wichita Falls to compete in the District 7-3A Junior High UIL Academic Competition being held at City View, and over half the students placed in their event. VMS students brought home 22 medals and 42 ribbons from the all-day event.
In the sixth-grade events, VMS sixth graders collected nine medals and nine ribbons. Two sixth graders picked up three gold medals. Jadon Pearl claimed first place in Mathematics and in Oral Reading, while Kriss Castell was first in Chess. Angela Ampig finished in a tie for second place in Dictionary Skills and also claimed a bronze medal in Ready Writing. Other third-place finishers included Shilow Williams in Art Smart, Blut Soe (tie) in Mathematics, Ava Valles in Music Memory, and Clara Perez in Spelling.
Seven VMS seventh graders finished in the top three in their event and received medals. Stephen Say was first in Chess, while classmate Luke Parmer finished second. Others who finished second in their event included Bryleigh Owens in Music Memory, Landry Conley in Ready Writing, and William Nail in Spelling. Two bronze medals went to A.J. Valles, who tied for third in Number Sense, and David Castell-Ruano, who was third in Science.
VMS eighth grade students won six medals and 20 ribbons in their events. There were two gold medals in the eighth-grade division, with Sara Soto taking first in Art Smart and Abel Galvan finishing first in Social Studies. Earning silver medals were Hawaii Say who tied for second in Art Smart, Jacob Martinez in Maps, Graphs & Charts, and Maria Sarinana in Modern Oratory. Alex Bailey took third in Science for the only bronze medal in eighth grade.
Below are all the VMS students who placed in their event.
SIXTH GRADE
1st Place – Kriss Castell, Chess; Jadon Pearl, Mathematics & Oral Reading
2nd Place – Angela Ampig, Dictionary Skills
3rd Place – Shilow Williams, Art Smart; Blut Soe (tie) Mathematics; Ava Valles, Music Memory; Angela Ampig, Ready Writing; Clara Perez, Spelling
4th Place – Joshua Rodriguez, Calculator; Isla Streit, Oral Reading; D’Angelo Galvan, Social Studies; Norah Daniels, Spelling
5th Place – Clara Perez, Music Memory; Berenice Serrano, Science
6th Place – Luke Luster, Calculator; Landon Bavousett, Maps, Graphs & Charts; Tarenda Moon, Science
SEVENTH GRADE
1st Place – Stephen Say, Chess
2nd Place – Luke Parmer, Chess; Bryleigh Owens, Music Memory; Landry Conley, Ready Writing; William Nail, Spelling
3rd Place – A.J. Valles (tie) Number Sense; David Castell-Ruano, Science
4th Place – Austin Lehman, Calculator; Kayson Villegas, Chess; Lilliana Escobedo, Impromptu Speaking
5th Place – Karina Din, Art Smart; Beckett Bayer & Sadie Jones (tie), Calculator; Braelyn Derwin, Editorial Writing; Berkley Brooks, Impromptu Speaking; Veva Finnegan, Mathematics & Science; Kayson Villegas, Number Sense; Logan Ware, Oral Reading
6th Place – Landry Conley, Dictionary Skills
EIGHTH GRADE
1st Place – Sara Soto, Art Smart; Abel Galvan, Social Studies
2nd Place – Hawaii Say (tie), Art Smart; Jacob Martinez, Maps, Graphs & Charts; Maria Sarinana, Modern Oratory
3rd Place – Alex Bailey, Science
4th Place – Braydon MacMillan (tie), Chess; Cooper Copeland, Impromptu Speaking; Sarai Leija, Listening Skills; Luke Payne, Mathematics; R.J. Villarreal, Modern Oratory; Miley Lopez, Music Memory; Kynsleigh Hamm, Ready Writing; Olivia Hastings, Spelling
5th Place – Kasey Calvillo, Dictionary Skills; David Tay, Mathematics; Praylee Patterson, Number Sense; Reese Fisher, Ready Writing; Aylin Cordova, Spelling
6th Place – Eh Cher, Art Smart; Maria Ortiz Martinez, Calculator; Kasey Calvillo (tie), Listening Skills; Lezah Lee, Modern Oratory; Oliva Hastings, Music Memory; Brynlee Disbrow, Oral Reading; Aylin Cordova (tie), Science.