Written By: Alex Lam
Editor: Alex Lam
Published: March 28, 2026
UIL journalism is honestly a pretty intense way to test your writing skills against other students in Texas. There are five different categories you can compete in, like News, Feature, and Editorial Writing, plus Headlines and Copy Editing. During the writing events, they give you a fact sheet full of info, and you have to turn it into a solid story in under an hour. It really pushes you to work fast and stay organized since you’re basically acting like a real reporter on a deadline. It’s definitely a challenge, but it’s a great way to get better at AP Style and learn how to find a good hook.
The competition starts at the district level, and if you place in the top three, you get to move on to regionals. If you're lucky enough to win there, you head to the state meet at UT Austin, which is a huge deal for any journalism kid. Even though you’re competing by yourself, your points count toward a journalism team trophy for your whole school. It’s not just about winning medals, though, because the stuff you learn helps a lot with college apps and just being a better writer in general. Plus, it’s a fun way to hang out with other people who actually care about commas and headlines.