Arlington School & Family Magazine June/July 2015 | Page 24
Campus News
Arlington
High School
By Olivia Williams, senior
Photos by Hannah Flenniken, junior
Competition hangs in the air due to the tireless talents of
four Arlington High School teams: band, orchestra, theater
and choir. Over the past few months, these groups have put
in weeks of effort in order to compete and win at various
levels of UIL competition.
The company includes junior Caitlin McMasters, who played
the star role and won the award for best actress at the UIL
District level. “Everyone felt really prepared because we had
been working on this for three months,” McMasters said. “It
has taught me to be a lot more responsible and plan ahead.”
In January, the theater team began work on their one-act
play The Miss Firecracker Contest. For three hours every day,
the company prepared for this big event. Their hard work
and dedication paid off when they were selected as one of
three teams to advance from District to Bi-District before
advancing to the Area round of competition.
“We’ve actually been working on some of our UIL pieces
since the fall, which is pretty strategic,” junior Hannah
Flenniken added.
“We’re held to such
high standards,” senior
Baylee Higginbotham
said. “It has taught
me discipline and
motivation.”
22 Arlington School & Family - June/July 2015
Recently, all five of the AHS orchestras won superior
sweepstakes at the UIL competition. “We’re held to such
high standards,” senior Baylee Higginbotham said. “It has
taught me discipline and motivation.”
Band in particular has put in a lot of effort because they
have two UIL competitions each year. The band rehearsal
schedule starts during summer vacation and requires
practice nearly every day after school.
“My life has been 70 percent school and 30 percent band,”
percussion player and sophomore Jack Driscoll said. “My
time is pretty dedicated.”
Although each of these programs is highly differentiated in
its skills and goals, they are united by hard work, fervor and
dedication to excellence. †