Ivan Diaz, a PHS student, was recently named to UIL All State for Journalism. Courtesy photo.

The University Interscholastic League announced recently that Ivan Diaz from Princeton High School has been named to the 2016-‘17 All-State Journalism staff.

“All-State staff members show initiative and a real desire to improve their journalistic skills,” said Jeanne Acton, UIL Director of Journalism.

To become a member of the All-State Journalism staff, students must accumulate points over the year based on their achievements at UIL journalism competition and other writing and publication contests, both statewide and national. Then students apply to UIL to become a member of the staff.

Any student who is involved in scholastic journalism in Texas is eligible for the staff.

“Like any other extracurricular, journalism students put enormous amounts of time into their school publications and writing competitions,” Acton said. “These students need to be recognized for their commitment and passion to high school journalism. These skills students learn from journalism are life-long.”

Texas is one of the first states to recognize student journalists in this way.

The staff was created by former UIL journalism director, Randy Vonderheid.

“I saw a need to recognize these students for their work and success in writing and presentation, and this should be a successful way,” Vonderheid said.

The UIL was created in 1913 and has grown into the largest interschool organization of its kind in the world. UIL works to organize and properly supervise contests that assist in preparing students for citizenship by providing healthy, character-building and educational activities carried out under rules providing good sportsmanship and fair play for all participants.

From Staff Reports • [email protected]