Dripping Springs High debaters successful at regional competition
Dripping Springs High School students were successful at the UIL 5A Region 13 Congress Meet on Nov. 12. Campbell Melton was the region champion and will advance to the state tournament. Mason Mohon placed fourth and is designated as a state alternate, and Max Bibeau was sixth. The event included the top 18 debaters in the region. Bibeau was a state qualifier in this event last fall.
Congress is an individual contest in a group setting that models the legislative process of the United States Congress. Within this mock legislative assembly competition, contestants draft legislation (proposed laws and position statements) submitted to the tournament, and they research the docket of bills and resolutions dealing with real-world social and political policies prior to the contest to prepare their speeches. At the tournament, students caucus in committees, deliver formal discourse on the merits and disadvantages of each piece of legislation, and vote to pass or defeat the measures they have examined. Topics this year included eliminating mandatory minimum sentences, returning to the gold standard, increasing the minimum wage, reducing tariffs, and protecting victims of human trafficking. Congress is one of several speech/debate events sponsored by UIL; others occur in the spring.
The State UIL Congress Tournament will be held Jan. 7-9 at the University of Texas at Austin.
DSHS Choir students compete in area auditions
On Nov. 13, five Dripping Springs High School choir students competed at the Pre-Area Auditions, which is the second round of the TMEA all-state choir audition process, at Anderson High. Students who competed were Bailey Hudgeons, Brody Lane, Juliane Paine, Ana Smith, and Claire Tole. Only the top five out of 18 qualifying students per voice part were selected to advance to the final round of auditions.
Brody Lane was awarded Third Chair for Bass 1 and will advance to Area Auditions. Ana Smith was first alternate (Sixth Chair) for Alto 2, and Claire Tole was second alternate (Seventh Chair) for Alto 1. Area Auditions will take place at Reagan High School in San Antonio on Saturday, Jan. 12. These students qualified for this competition based on results from the regional auditions Nov. 3.
DSHS students win cities in space competition
The Dripping Springs High Astronomy and Aerospace Science Club won first place in the 2018 Cities in Space competition sponsored by SteamSpace Education. The students attended the Student Competition and Conference at the University of Texas on Nov. 9 where they presented research and a 3D representation of a future city in space; they also produced a video and a 13-page essay as part of their entry.
The Cities in Space competition coincides with the New Worlds Conference each fall, offering students access to those who currently work in the space industry and space-oriented academia. Students from around the state came together to present, compete and learn from one another about building a new world beyond Earth and how to create a surviving and thriving community. In addition to presenting their projects, students had the opportunity to listen to speakers at the conference, and to interact with scientists, engineers, NASA experts, New Space leaders, and astronauts.
The entire club participated in the Cities in Space competition: Audrey Balsdon, Evelyn Bristol, Paige Cowell, Sophia Fisher, Amy Green, Megan Hitt, Connor Lawrence, Eduardo Maldonado, Gustavo Maldonado, David Pieper, Spring Salazar, and Tucker Sawyer.
