Following their various UIL academic competitions at the Hendrickson High School invitational meet, McNeil students smile for a photo commemorating their victories including taking the Sweepstakes trophy. The University Interscholastic League (UIL) sponsored by the University of Texas at Austin, provides competitions not only for fine arts and sports enthusiasts, but for the academically inclined as well. Students ranging from freshman to seniors fought for a spot on the podium in skills regarding the sciences, mathematics and writing. “I knew we had a lot of talented people in the program, so I didn’t expect to win,” sophomore Tiernan Shuey said. “But I was sure I would still get something out of it.”