While Woodrow Wilson’s sports teams get most of the press, other extra-curricular activities at our neighborhood school are full of hard-working and dedicated students who put just as much time and energy into their clubs as anyone on the field or court.
Woodrow Wilson’s mock trial team.
Woodrow’s mock trial team, led by English teacher Sam Mount, had an impressive weekend. Mock trial is a mix of theater and debate where students play the roles of lawyers and witnesses to go through the motions of a trial for volunteer lawyers and judges who evaluate the performances. The Woodrow mock trial students competed this weekend and beat a team from Dallas ISD’s school for the Talented and Gifted on their way to the quarterfinals. There, the team emerged victorious over Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School and will head to the semi-finals on Feb. 4. Attorneys Carly Williams, Harrison Dubose, East Walkington and Audrey Blumenstock spoke and argued their way to victory, while Tre’ Brown Kala Vahle played their role to perfection as witnesses.
Woodrow’s cheer team spends much of its time encouraging other sports, but this winter they have been achieving some impressive victories themselves. In the state UIL competition, Woodrow’s cheer squad was ranked fifth out of 112 teams in Texas 5A division. Following their success, cheer coaches Aaronia Ferguson and Blythe Mundlin took the team to compete at nationals last weekend.
The Woodrow Knights, Woodrow’s new and growing chess club led by Cymone Lonon, competed this winter and won first place in the team competition. The team includes Alexus Salinas, Darren Henderson, Robert Bustamante, Nio Knight, Robert Garcia and Lucas Garza. Knight also won first place in the individual competition winning five games and losing none.
Woodrow’s Academy of Business students, with their advisor Michelle Gilbert, went to the district DECA competition last weekend where they presented and defended business plans. Several students have advanced to the state DECA conference this February in San Antonio, with a chance to advance to the national competition. Angel Montelongo, Jennifer Saucedo, Jacqueline Revilla, Emily Oum, Ana Perez, Diana Santos, Carlos Griego, Merrissa Mejia and Mayra Muratalla will all be headed to the next round.
Woodrow Wilson girls champion swim team. (Photo by John Scherger)
The Woodrow girls swim team won the DISD all-city meet in December and the District 14-5A swim meet on Jan. 20, while the boys swim team came in third place and second place respectively. Swimmers Lawson Freeman, Caroline North, Abby Giles, Noelle Martinez, Macie Burgard, Claire Agee, Helen Agee, Emma Elkman, Claire Gustafson, Annabelle Furrh, Emily Lawrence, Lauren Smith-Morris, Peyton Scoville, Anna Scherger, Hal Vega, Brian Arnold, Adam Becker, Thomas Burnam, Javier Herrera, Sean Swift, Alec Pfundheller, Matthew Gresback, Siul Quiroz and Edwin Herrera all placed in those meets.
The Robocats, Woodrow’s state champion robotics team, have three separate teams competing this spring. One of those teams is a rookie group full of first time robotics students which took part in the FIRST Tech Challenge Qualifying Tournament in Plano last weekend. They received an award for excellence in design, and will be heading to the regional tournament in February. The rookie teams are led by teachers Fried Elliot and Daniel Garrison.
