Four students will compete at the UIL Academic State Meet May 23-25 in Austin.

Students began UIL season with a series of invitational meets, followed by a district meet March 24. Students who placed in the top three in their events at the district meet advanced to the regional meet April 23. Students who placed at regionals qualified for the state meet. Junior Callie Boren placed first in Editorial Writing and second in Headline Writing. Boren said even with hard work advancement is not always guaranteed.

“I’m excited to see what we’ll do at state,” Boren said “It will be a fun trip, and I think it will be exciting to demonstrate the hard work that we put into it. UIL journalism is very challenging. You can have your best day, you can compete really well, and maybe the judge wasn’t looking for that kind of thing.”

Junior Adrianna Jones placed first at the regional meet in computer applications. Jones said that the competition had a strained atmosphere.

“You have three minutes to look over the test and then you have 30 minutes to actually do the computer application,” Jones said. “It’s a very tense 30 minutes.”

Freshman Erin Sheffield placed first in news writing. Sheffield said the higher level of competition made her event more difficult.

“You’re put in this room, row after row of computers, and row after row of students who have all gotten amazing places at the last level,” Sheffield said. “It’s a lot of stress to put on your shoulders.”

Senior Erin Westermann placed first in feature writing. In spite of the stress, Westermann said that she was excited to go to state.

“It was my goal to be able to go to state my senior year,” Westermann said. “It’s a really nice form of closure to be able to go.”

The 2016 meet will be Westermann’s third time to compete at state. She is only the second Canyon High student to compete in three state academic meets during the last 13 years.

“I’m just excited to go,” Westermann said. “My sophomore year I went and didn’t place, my junior year I went and placed fifth in state in features and then I’m going back again in features, so I’m hoping to continue advancing.”

Westermann said her excitement at going to state her senior year overshadowed the outcome of the competition.

“I’m very excited to close out my experience in a positive light,” Westermann said. “No matter the outcome, I’m just excited to go to state one last time.”