On Friday, January 28th, Clifton Elementary School administration and faculty recognized the effort and achievement of its Academic UIL participants and coaches at a special awards ceremony and presentation held at the Clifton ISD Performance Arts Center. In early October, Clifton Elementary students in grades 2-5 began preparing for the District 17-AAA Academic UIL meet that was held at McGregor Elementary on December 9, 2021. Clifton Elementary had a total of 58 students who made the final cut and competed in the various academic events. Clifton Elementary students in 2nd grade were able to compete in four different events: Chess Puzzle; Creative Writing; Music Memory; and Storytelling. Third grade students competed in five different events: Chess Puzzle; Music Memory; Ready Writing; Spelling; and Storytelling. A couple of more events were added to 4th grade with students able to compete in seven different events: Art; Chess Puzzle; Music Memory; Number Sense; Oral Reading; Ready Writing; and Spelling. However, 5th grade students were able to compete in a total of eleven different events: Art; Chess Puzzle; Dictionary Skills; Listening, Maps, Graphs, & Charts; Music Memory; Number Sense; Oral Reading; Ready Writing; Social Studies; and Spelling. During the competition students had the opportunity to earn points for their school by placing as one of the top six individuals while also working together as a team to earn points by placing as one of the top three teams for each of the events, except for the speaking or writing events, which were only scored for individual points.
Overall, Clifton Elementary School placed second in the District 17-AAA Academic UIL Meet and is looking forward to next year’s competition and building on this year’s success. Below are the events with team placings, CES participants, individual placings, and coaches noted.
2nd Grade Chess Puzzle (3rd Place Team): Samuel Aars (2nd Place Individual), Hazel Ritzmann, & Paisley Wallace. Coached by Ms. Kaitlyn Pierce.
2nd Grade Creative Writing: Peyten Allen (1st Place Individual), Laiken Boykin, & Kennedy Salome. Coached By Mrs. Sheri Dyson.
2nd Grade Music Memory: Laiken Boykin (1st Place Individual), Caitlynn Baccus (2nd Place Individual), Avori Crawford (3rd Place Individual), & Charles McCain (4th Place Individual). Coached by Mrs. Susan Taylor.
2nd Grade Storytelling: Remmington Brown, Lilly Fryar, Kennedy Salome, and Caitlynn Baccus (alternate). Coached by Mrs. Sheri Dyson.
3rd Grade Chess Puzzle (3rd Place Team): Jeddie Hunter, Tannia Montes, Luis Rivera (3rd Place Individual), & Ethan Smith (alternate). Coachedy By Ms. Kaitlyn Pierce.
3rd Grade Music Memory (3rd Place Team): Estrella Deluna, Itzel Gonzalez, Karyn Isbell, Jordyn Nickel, Victoria Ornelas, & Aislynn Nonner (alternate). Coached by Mrs. Beth Fry.
3rd Grade Ready Writing: Reete Bennette, Karyn Isbell (2nd Place Individual), Olivia Kerby (1st Place Individual), and Aislynn Bonner (alternate). Coached by Mr. Stephen Lindloff.
3rd Grade Spelling (3rd Place Team): Reese Argo (4th Place Individual), Reete Bennette (5th Place Individual), Jordyn Nickel, and Rylie Atchison (alternate). Coached by Mrs. Destiny Shane.
3rd Grade Storytelling: Aisling Cardona, Karyn Isbell, MacKenzi Tebo, and Olivia Kerby (alternate). Coached by Mrs. Kristie Brandenberger.
4th Grade Art Smart (3rd Place Team): Coy Anderson, Lily Domel, Noe Moreno, & Avriana Rios. Coached by Mrs. Rita Huie.
4th Grade Chess Puzzle (3rd Place Team): Cole Isaacs, Jaron Page, Keaton Webber (3rd Place Individual), & Coy Anderson (alternate). Coached by Ms. Kaitlyn Pierce.
4th Grade Music Memory (2nd Place Team): Preston Banuelos, Nathan Cardona, Noe Moreno, Waylon Tebo (6th Place Individual). Coached by Mrs. Beth Fry.
4th Grade Number Sense: Lily Domel, Samuel La Quey, Keaton Webber, & Preston Banuelos (alternate). Coached by Mrs. Shandy Burrow.
4th Grade Oral Reading: Lily Domel (2nd Place Individual), Malanie Roark (5th Place Individual), and Lilian Sibley. Coached by Mrs. Kim Stanford.
4th Grade Ready Writing: Lillian Sibley (4th Place Individual), Layla Stroud, Waylon Tebo (2nd Place Individual), & McKenzie Bell (alternate). Coached by Mr. Stephen Lindloff.
4th Grade Spelling (3rd Place Team): Tristan Machina (4th Place Individual), Lillian Sibley, Eveie Swiat. & Melanie Roark (alternate). Coached by Mrs. Kristina Matthaei.
5th Grade Art Smart: Mason Davis and Hank Reierson. Coached by Mrs. Rita Huie.
5th Grade Chess Puzzle (3rd Place Team): Jack Domel, Dominic Kilgore, Mac Sibley (5th Place Individual), and Gabe Prusha (alternate). Coached by Ms. Kaitlyn Pierce.
5th Grade Dictionary Skills (3rd Place Team): Luke Ball (6th Place Individual), Kyleigh Busby, Isaac Fryar (6th Place Individual), & Brayden Marcott (alternate). Coached by Mrs. Sally Bekken.
5th Grade Listening Skills (2nd Place Team): Holt Harris (1st Place Individual), Joe Cotton Mayfield, & Oggy Perry (3rd Place Individual). Coached by Mrs. Sally Bekken.
5th Grade Maps, Graphs, & Charts (1st Place Team): Jack Domel (1st Place Individual), Reed Martin, Hank Reierson, & Joe Cotton Mayfield (alternate). Coached by Mrs. Sally Bekken.
5th Grade Music Memory (3rd Place Team): Maddie Goolsby, Jacklyn Nickel, & Andrew Taylor. Coached by Mrs. Cody Issacs.
5th Grade Number Sense (2nd Place Team): Jack Domel (6th Place Individual), Jaclyn Nickel, Mac Sibley, & Luke Ball (alternate). Coached by Mr. Howard Bennette.
5th Grade Oral Reading: Luke Ball (4th Place Individual), Maddie Goolsby (5th Place Individual), & Reed Martin (3rd Place Individual). Coached by Mrs. Kim Stanford.
5th Grade Ready Writing: Charley New (5th Place Individual), Carter Ritz, Mac Sibley, & Luke Ball (alternate). Coached by Ms. Kara Ripley.
5th Grade Social Studies (2nd Place Team): Holt Harris, Reed Martin (5th Place Individual), Andrew Taylor (3rd Place Individual), & Gabe Prusha (alternate). Coached by Mrs. Sally Bekken. 5th Grade Spelling (2nd Place Team): Charley New, Jaclyn Nickel (5th Place Individual), Carter Ritz (3rd Place Individual), and Luke Ball (alternate). Coached by Ms. Kara Ripley.