The University Interscholastic League announced recently that three students from Princeton High School have been named to the 2021-2022 All-State Journalism staff.

Rachel Sadler, Paola Diaz and Olga Ruiz all earned the honor.

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.

“The All-State journalism staff represents some of the top students in Texas scholastic journalism and UIL journalism competition,” said Alyssa Boehringer, who coached UIL journalism for PHS last school year and who is now the UIL director of journalism.

Students must 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.

“When we kept winning at the contests last year, we pretty much knew we were going to make the All-State team,” said Rachel, who earned two state gold medals for her writing last year. “It’s pretty cool to have our names on that list.”

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 because he saw a need to recognize these students for their work and success in writing.

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.

“It’s incredible to see the points add up at the end of the year after students put in hours of hard work practicing, writing, editing, producing and competing,” Boehringer said. “The journalism skills these students have learned will take them far down their career path and for the students on the All-State journalism staff, we know they’re on a path of success. They’ve more than proven that with this distinction.”

By Jean Ann Collins