feature writing€¦ · 2015 invitational a feature • page 2 william rudish, firefighter “gas...

Invitational A Meet • 2015

Feature WritingLeaguetown High School, located in Texas, has an enrollment of 1,800 students

in grades 9-12. Over winter break, junior Diego Santo’s house burned down. Di-ego, who is deaf, was sleeping at home with his dog Jester at the time of the fire. Both of his parents had gone to work. The fire alarm woke Jester who, in turn, started to lick Diego all over the face. By the time Diego got out of bed, the entire house was engulfed in flames. The fire was inches from his bed. Diego grabbed Jester, a golden retriever, and the two jumped out his bedroom window to safety.

Diego’s family does have a fire alarm designed for people who are deaf. One alarm emits a strobe light in the hallway and living room, and another one is supposed to shake Diego’s bed. The strobe alarm did function properly, but the alarm for Diego’s bed malfunctioned.

The firefighters at the scene said a gas leak in the kitchen caused the fire. Because gas was fueling the fire, it took only minutes to spread across the house.

After Mayor Jenni Takei heard about Jester’s heroic deed, she decided to honor the three-year-old dog. Mayor Takei will award Jester the Silver Hero Medal at the city council meeting on Friday, Feb. 13.

You are writing for the issue of the Press to be distributed Monday, Feb. 9.

■ dIego sAnto, junior“The fire started on the second day of winter break. It was about 9 a.m. and

both my parents had gone to work. I was taking advantage of being off and sleeping late. When Jester first started licking my face, I pushed him off and rolled over. I didn’t want to get up. Then, he did something he rarely does. He jumped onto my bed and got right in my face. He wouldn’t stop licking me. It looked like he was barking, too, but I am not for sure. After a few seconds of the constant lick-ing, I realized that I smelled something burning. I sat up in my bed and saw the fire spreading into my bedroom. My window is right over my bed, so I pushed it open, shoved Jester out the window and quickly followed.

“I would have been toast without Jester. The firemen on the scene said smoke induces a deep sleep-like state, and that’s why so many people don’t wake up when their house is on fire. I was sleeping hard. I don’t think I would have woken up without Jester’s lickfest.

“I don’t know what happened with the alarm that is supposed to shake my bed. My parents and I tried it when we bought it a few years ago, and it worked. Maybe the batteries needed to be replaced. The fire investigators are looking into it.

“It’s cool that Mayor Takei is giving Jester a medal. He definitely deserves one. He’s always been a great dog — super loyal and loving. And now he’s my super hero, too.”

You are a reporter for the Leaguetown Press, the stu-dent newspaper of Leaguetown High School.

From the given information, write a feature story as you would for the high school newspaper. You may use state-ments attributed to individuals as direct

or indirect quotes. You may not change the meaning of a statement. You have one hour.

Do not write your name or the name of your school on this sheet or your entry. Put your number on

your paper.

2015 InvItAtIonAl A FeAture • PAge 2

■ WIllIAM rudIsh, firefighter“Gas fires are some of the fastest spreading and burning fires we encounter. Unfortunately, those fires

also have a higher mortality rate. Lucky for Diego, Jester made sure the two got out alive and unharmed. Both needed a little oxygen, but after that, they were fine.

“It’s not unusual for a family dog to alert its owners about a fire, but usually it’s through barking. Jester was persistent, and we are grateful.”

■ JennI tAkeI, mayor“This town has a tradition of honoring its heroes, even if the hero is a dog. Jester’s actions were both

brave and smart, and he deserves a medal for his action. This may be the first time the city has ever awarded the Silver Hero Medal to a canine, but hopefully, it won’t be the last.”

■ AddItIonAl InForMAtIonThe December fire completely destroyed the Santo’s house. The family is living in a rental house until

their house is rebuilt. Diego’s parents also installed two new fire alarms in his bedroom and moved Jester’s bed permanently in his room.

Diego has been deaf since birth.

InvItatIonal a • 2015Feature WrItIng Contest tIps and sample story

Contest Director: Give one copy to each judge to use during critique/judging. Also, staple one copy of the contest and one copy of the contest tips to each student’s returned entry. The purpose of the tips is to provide immediate feedback to students. However, it is not meant to replace written comments from the judge.

1. Figure out what the story is about and its theme or focus. This story is about a dog who saves his owner from a fire.

2. The lead of a feature story must grab the reader’s attention. It does not have to be a certain length or include the 5Ws and H. It should set a scene and get the reader into the story. Although you have freedom to describe the scene as you think it might have existed, try to stay as close to the copy as you can. Some judges will not want you to wander off the subject too much.

On the second morning of winter break, junior Diego Santo was jostled awake when his golden retriever, Jester, started slobbering all over his face — not exactly the most pleasant way to wake up. But in this case, it was the safest.

The house was on fire. By the time Diego, who is deaf, got out of bed, his entire home was engulfed in flames. The fire was mere inches from his bed.

“My window is right over my bed, so I pushed it open, shoved Jester out the window and quickly followed,” Diego said. “I would have been toast without Jester.”

3. Once you get past the lead, make sure you include a nut graph. It tells the reader what the story is going to be about. Follow the nut graph with a direct quote, and then go into the transition/quote formula.

nut graphDiego called Jester his “super hero” for saving his life, and Mayor Jenni Takei agrees. After

hearing about Jester’s heroic deed, Mayor Takei decided to honor the golden retriever with a silver hero medal at the city council meeting this Friday.

direct quote“This town has a tradition of honoring its heroes, even if the hero is a dog,” Takei said.

“Jester’s actions were both brave and smart, and he deserves a medal for his action. This may be the first time the city has ever awarded the Silver Hero Medal to a canine, but hopefully, it won’t be the last.”

4. After you get past the nut graph, the rest of the story can tell itself through the use of transition/quote formula.

Be sure you attribute after the quote or at least after the first sentence. An attribution should be: subject of attribution followed by the verb of attribution (“Diego said,” not “said Diego”). Avoid stacking quotes. Try to avoid putting two or more quotes together without placing some kind of transition between them. Also, make sure transitions provide information to help the action of the story and that the quote does not repeat informa-tion in the transition.

transition/story-tellingOn the morning of the fire, both of Diego’s parents were at work, and Diego was hoping

to sleep late to enjoy the start of winter break. When three-year-old Jester first starting licking

DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS BEFORE OR DURING CONTEST!2015 INvITaTIONal a FEaTURE • KEY PaGE 1

Diego, he pushed the dog off and rolled over. However, when Jester jumped on the bed again and got right back in Diego’s face, he knew something wasn’t right.

“I don’t know what happened with the alarm that is supposed to shake my bed,” Diego said. direct quote

“After about a minute of the constant licking, I realized that I smelled something burning,” Diego said. “I sat up in my bed and saw the fire spreading into my bedroom.”

transition/story-tellingDiego, who has been deaf since birth, could not hear fire alarms and, since he was sleep-

ing, he also could not see the strobe light fire alarm in the hallway. Diego’s family does have an additional fire alarm designed for people who are deaf.

direct quote“My parents and I tried it when we bought it a few years ago, and it worked. Maybe the bat-

teries need to be replaced. The fire investigators are looking into it.”

5. Always use third person. Don’t say “our student” or “our own Diego.” Also, do not editorialize. For instance, you should not say “He is so amazing.” These statements are personal opinions and should not be made in a feature story.

6. Always use the verb “said” as the verb of attribution. Don’t say “says,” “stated,” “feels” or any other synonym for “said.”

7. Finally, look for a strong quote to use as a closing statement or a statement that will bring the reader back to the beginning of the story. It should give the reader a sense of satisfaction or resolution.

“The firemen on the scene said smoke induces a deep sleep-like state, and that’s why so many people don’t wake up when their house is on fire,” Diego said. “I was sleeping hard. I don’t think I would have woken up without Jester’s lickfest.”

2015 INvITaTIONal a FEaTURE • KEY PaGE 2

SAMPLE STORY

On the second morning of winter break, junior Diego Santo was jostled awake when his golden retriever, Jester, started slobbering all over his face — not exactly the most pleasant way to wake up. But in this case, it was the safest.

The house was on fire. By the time Diego, who is deaf, got out of bed, his entire home was engulfed in flames. The fire was mere inches from his bed.

“My window is right over my bed, so I pushed it open, shoved Jester out the window and quickly followed,” Diego said. “I would have been toast without Jester.”

Diego called Jester his “super hero” for saving his life, and Mayor Jenni Takei agrees. After hearing about Jester’s heroic deed, Mayor Takei decided to honor the golden retriever with a silver hero medal at the city council meeting this Friday.

“This town has a tradition of honoring its heroes, even if the hero is a dog,” Takei said. “Jester’s actions were both brave and smart, and he deserves a medal for his action. This may be the first time the city has ever awarded the Silver Hero Medal to a canine, but hopefully, it won’t be the last.”

On the morning of the fire, both of Diego’s parents were at work, and Diego was hoping to sleep late to enjoy the start of winter break. When three-year-old Jester first starting licking Diego, he pushed the dog off and rolled over. However, when Jester jumped on the bed again and got right back in Diego’s face, he knew something wasn’t right.

“After about a minute of the constant licking, I realized that I smelled something burning,” Diego said. “I sat up in my bed and saw the fire spreading into my bedroom.”

Diego, who has been deaf since birth, could not hear fire alarms and, since he was sleeping, he also could not see the strobe light fire alarm in the hallway. Diego’s family does have an additional fire alarm designed for people who are deaf.

“I don’t know what happened with the alarm that is supposed to shake my bed,” Diego said. “My parents and I tried it when we bought it a few years ago, and it worked. Maybe the batteries need to be replaced. The fire investigators are looking into it.”

The firefighters at the scene said a gas leak in the kitchen caused the fire. According to firefighter William Rudish, gas fires are one of the fastest spreading fires, which is why the house was engulfed in flames in only a few minutes.

“Unfortunately, those fires also have a higher mortality rate,” Rudish said. “Lucky for Diego, Jester made sure the two got out alive and unburned. Both needed a little oxygen, but after that, they were fine.”

The family is living in a rental house until their house is rebuilt. Diego’s parents also installed two new fire alarms in his bedroom and moved Jester’s bed permanently in his room.

“The firemen on the scene said smoke induces a deep sleep-like state, and that’s why so many people don’t wake up when their house is on fire,” Diego said. “I was sleeping hard. I don’t think I would have woken up without Jester’s lickfest.”

2015 INvITaTIONal a FEaTURE • KEY PaGE 3

Invitational B Meet • 2015

Feature WritingLeaguetown High School, located in West Texas, has an enrollment of 1,100

students in grades 9-12. Freshman Bart Treavor has been a movie lover since he was old enough to walk. He loves watching movies, making movies and talking about movies. In fact, at the beginning of the year he started a movie club for students. The club had a slow start with three members but has grown rapidly over the last few months. The movie club now has 24 members and meets weekly at 4:15 p.m. on Thursdays. Most meetings are spent either watching or discussing movies. English teacher Ha Tran is the faculty sponsor.

Through the meetings, Bart discovered that he was not the only club member with a huge collection of movies. He has more than 400 movies in his collection. Several of the members have collections of more than 100. To raise money for the club, Bart and the members decided to begin a movie rental business for stu-dents and faculty. Rentals will cost $1 per day, and the club has more than 800 different movies available. The grand opening of the store, called ‘Playback,’ will open March 23 after spring break. The club still needs to catalog the movies and upload the list to the club’s web page. Playback will reside in the old custodian closet near the cafeteria and will be open every lunch period.

You are writing for the issue of the Press to be distributed Friday, March 13.

■ Bart treavor, freshman“The first movie I ever saw was “Shrek.” I was two years old, and my mom says

I didn’t move or talk during the entire movie. I was spellbound. I still love the movie. Growing up, I was kind of sickly. I have extreme allergies, and every time I would go outside, I would get sick; so my parents tried to keep me entertained indoors. Movies did that job. I love to escape into a movie — almost any movie. I love comedies, dramas, action, pretty much everything, except horror movies.

“I started collecting movies when I was about seven. My grandma bought me the DVD box set for “Star Wars,” and that started my obsession for owning mov-ies. I buy movies anywhere I can. My grandparents live in the Dallas area, so when we visit them, I always try to visit thrift stores and garage sales to see if I can pick up a new movie cheap. My grandma loves searching the garage sale ads with me on Friday nights. Then, we get up at the crack of dawn, really before the break of dawn, and start hitting the garage sales. We are usually done by 10 a.m. when we head to a breakfast diner to dive into a huge stack of pancakes. Last month I scored the mother load at one garage sale. I found a huge collection of Clint Eastwood movies. It was incredible. I bought more than 20 movies for $40. Most of my movies are not new when I buy them. That seems like a waste of money.

“The movie club was my mom’s idea. I don’t play sports, and I am not in band. My mom wanted me to have some sort of extracurricular activity, so she





your paper.

2015 InvItatIonal B Feature • Page 2

suggested a movie club. Mr. Tran is my English teacher and fellow movie buff. He was happy to sponsor the club. I can’t believe how much we’ve grown in one year. The club gives me the chance to share my passion with others. Now, the club is talking about projects and outings we would like to take, but all of that takes money. That’s when we got the idea of Playback. Most of us have a lot of movies just sitting on shelves col-lecting dust. We thought we might as well make a little money on the movies, and with the only movie rental business in town shutting down last month, we knew we had an opportunity.”

■ ha tran, english teacher“The movie club is a great group of students, and Playback is a brilliant idea. The club wants to raise

$500 by May for their end-of-the-year party, and I don’t think that will be a problem. Together the students have an extensive movie collection. We will have movies for anyone’s taste. Playback will be easier than the movie rental box at the drug store, too. Students and teachers come to school five days a week so checking out and, more importantly, returning movies will be super easy. I have already had several teachers ask for an advance list of our movies.”

■ saBrIna duran, junior“I can’t wait for Playback to open. It’s going to be so easy to rent movies. I will definitely use the store.”

■ veronIca alves, sophomore“I joined the movie club about two months ago, and it’s a great club. I have learned so much, and it’s been

really fun. I don’t have a lot of movies to add to our collection at Playback, but other members have loads of movies. It’s crazy how long our list of movies is. Organizing, labeling and categorizing all of the movies has been a much bigger task than any of us imagined. But, we are almost done and we plan to open on time.”

■ Bart treavor (continued)

InvItatIonal B • 2015Feature WrItIng Contest tIps and sample story


1. Figure out what the story is about and its theme or focus. This story is about a student who begins a movie club which is starting a movie rental business.


The two-year-old stared, mesmerized, at the screen before him. He didn’t move.He didn’t talk.He was completely spellbound as he watched his first movie — “Shrek.”

3. Once you get past the lead, make sure you include a nut graph. It tells the reader what the story is going to be about. Follow the nut graph with a direct quote and then go into the transition/quote formula.

nut graphEver since he was a child, freshman Bart Treavor has been a movie lover, and now he gets to share

that love with others. At the beginning of the year, he started a movie club and on March 23, the club will launch “Playback,” a movie rental store housed in the old custodial closet near the cafeteria.

direct quote“The movie club was my mom’s idea,” Bart said. “I can’t believe how much we’ve grown in one year.

Now, the club is talking about projects and outings we would like to take, but all of that takes money. That’s when we got the idea of Playback.”

4. After you get past the nut graph, the rest of the story can tell itself through the use of transition/quote formula.Be sure you attribute after the quote or at least after the first sentence. An attribution should be: subject of attribution

followed by the verb of attribution (“Bart said,” not “said Bart”). Avoid stacking quotes. Try to avoid putting two or more quotes together without placing some kind of transition between them. Also, make sure transitions provide information to help the action of the story and that the quote does not repeat information in the transition.

transition/story-telling

With more than 800 movies available, the club will rent movies for $1 a day. The store will be open during lunch.

direct quote“I started collecting movies when I was about seven,” Bart said. “My grandma bought me the DVD

box set for ‘Star Wars,’ and that started my obsession for owning movies. I buy movies anywhere I can. Last month I scored the mother load at one garage sale. I found a huge collection of Clint Eastwood movies. It was incredible.”

DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS BEFORE OR DURING CONTEST!2015 INvITaTIONal B FEaTURE • KEY PaGE 1

transition/story-tellingBart has more than 400 movies in his collection, while several other members have collections of

more than 100. The club is cataloging the movies and will upload the list to the club’s web page soon.

direct quote “The movie club is a great group of students, and Playback is a brilliant idea,” English teacher and

club sponsor Ha Tran said. “The club wants to raise $500 by May for their end of the year party, and I don’t think that will be a problem. Together the students have an extensive movie collection. We will have movies for anyone’s taste.

5. Always use third person. Don’t say “our student” or “our own student.” Also, do not editorialize. For instance, you should not say “He is so cool.” These statements are personal opinions and should not be made in a feature story.



“Growing up, I was kind of sickly,” Bart said. “I have extreme allergies, and every time I would go outside I would get sick so my parents tried to keep me entertained indoors. Movies did that job. I love to escape into a movie-- almost any movie. The club gives me the chance to share my passion with others.”

2015 INvITaTIONal B FEaTURE • KEY PaGE 2

SAMPLE STORY

The two-year-old stared, mesmerized, at the screen before him. He didn’t move.He didn’t talk.He was completely spellbound as he watched his first movie — “Shrek.” Ever since he was a child, freshman Bart Treavor has been a movie lover, and now he gets to share that

love with others. At the beginning of the year, he started a movie club and on March 23, the club will launch “Playback,” a movie rental store housed in the old custodial closet near the cafeteria.

“The movie club was my mom’s idea,” Bart said. “I can’t believe how much we’ve grown in one year. Now, the club is talking about projects and outings we would like to take, but all of that takes money. That’s when we got the idea of Playback.”

With more than 800 movies available, the club will rent movies for $1 a day. The store will be open during lunch.

“I started collecting movies when I was about seven,” Bart said. “My grandma bought me the DVD box set for ‘Star Wars,’ and that started my obsession for owning movies. I buy movies anywhere I can. Last month I scored the mother load at one garage sale. I found a huge collection of Clint Eastwood movies. It was incredible.”

Bart has more than 400 movies in his collection, while several other members have collections of more than 100. The club is cataloging the movies and will upload the list to the club’s web page soon.

“The movie club is a great group of students, and Playback is a brilliant idea,” English teacher and club sponsor Ha Tran said. “The club wants to raise $500 by May for their end of the year party, and I don’t think that will be a problem. Together the students have an extensive movie collection. We will have movies for any-one’s taste.”

The only movie rental business in town shut down last month, so the store is expecting many customers such as Junior Sabrina Duran who says she will “definitely use the store.”

“I can’t wait for Playback to open,” she said.Sophomore Veronica Alves said she joined the movie club two months ago.“I have learned so much, and it’s been really fun,” she said. “It’s crazy how long our list of movies is. Orga-

nizing, labeling, and categorizing all of the movies has been a much bigger task than any of imagined. But, we are almost done, and we plan to open on time.”

The movie club started with only three members, but has grown to 24. The club meets weekly at 4:15 p.m. on Thursdays.

“Growing up, I was kind of sickly,” Bart said. “I have extreme allergies, and every time I would go outside I would get sick so my parents tried to keep me entertained indoors. Movies did that job. I love to escape into a movie-- almost any movie. The club gives me the chance to share my passion with others.”

2015 INvITaTIONal B FEaTURE • KEY PaGE 3

District 1 Meet • 2015

Feature Writing





your paper.

Leaguetown High School, located on the Gulf Coast, has an enrollment of 1,200 students in grades 9-12. Over spring break, science teacher Paul Monte held a surfing camp for children with cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs and digestive system. The average lifespan for someone with cystic fibrosis is 40 years old, but many do not live past their teens.

More than 20 children, ranging in ages from 5 to 17, attended the surfing camp. Monte held the camp because new research is showing that ocean water helps clear out the thick mucus that builds up in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis. Monte’s younger sister Bobbi died from the disease when she was 22 years old.

After the success of the spring break camp, Monte decided to start an eight-week summer camp. To help fund the camp, he is hosting a 5K Fun Run and Walk on Saturday, May 2, at Lakeside Park. Monte hopes to raise $10,000 so that he can hire a full-time nurse for the camp. You are writing for the issue of the Press to be distributed on Monday, March 30.

■ PAUL MONTE, science teacher“When we lost Bobbi in 2012, I vowed that I would continue to help find a

cure for CF. The ocean isn’t a cure, but it certainly helps. After one week at the ocean, every one of my students had increased lung functions — from just one week. That is when I knew I had to offer a summer camp. Imagine how great the campers will feel after eight weeks.

“I grew up on the coast and have been surfing since I was 5 years old. Bobbi never surfed. My parents didn’t think it would be good for her. If we only would have known, I wonder if she would be alive today.

“During the spring break camp, we set up a tent on the beach so kids could have a spot out of the sun for their breathing treatments. It worked out pretty well. The kids had a blast, but I think I had the most fun. For six days straight, I was in the ocean teaching these amazing kids how to surf. I couldn’t believe how much progress they made in less than one week. Most students could stand on the board by the end of the week.

“Often during the lessons, a camper would have to stop to cough up mucus, but that was the point of being on the ocean. The water helped them clear their lungs. At first, the kids were kind of embarrassed about the coughing, but I turned the coughing into an achievement. I would cheer them on, ‘Cough it up. Clear those lungs and take a plunge.’ A few of the preteen girls even started creating cheers for coughing up mucus.

“The CF Foundation is going to help pay for tuition for parents who can’t

2015 DISTRICT 1 FEATURE • PAGE 2

afford the camp. We are super grateful for that. This is not a money maker for me, but I have to cover the costs of renting surf boards, life jackets, food, etc. We hope we can double our numbers from the spring break camp. The only thing we expect the kids to bring is their swimsuits and a positive attitude. The fundraiser is to pay for a nurse to be on-site during the camp.

“Bobbi would have loved to be a part of this camp. She loved kids and loved the ocean, even though she rarely went. I still miss her every day. Bobbi knew her life would be short, and she lived every day to the full-est. From the time she truly understood her illness, she showed no anger or fear. She embraced everything. In high school she joined every club available, attended every sporting event and pushed herself to excel in every class. I don’t know how she did it all. Only once did I ask her if she was angry that she had CF. She looked at me confused and said, ‘CF keeps me focused on life, not death. It pushes me to be my best every day.’ She was my hero, and I want to make her proud.”

■ SUSAN MALONE, English teacher“My 10-year-old son attended Mr. Monte’s camp over spring break, and he had an incredible time. Caleb

had never surfed before and made incredible gains over the week. His confidence in himself and his self-esteem was noticeably different by the week’s end. Simply amazing.

“And what’s more amazing is his lung function. His lung function improved 5 percent in just one week. His doctor was speechless. I hung out at the beach most days with the kids and Paul. It was thrilling to watch Paul teach these young, inexperienced kids how to surf. He took them out two at a time and moved them from sitting on their boards, to pulling up to their knees and eventually standing. I could see those smiles all the way from the beach. The kids all beamed when they stood up for the first time — even if it only lasted for a second.”

■ TALIA SESSIONS, freshman“I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when I was 10 years old. It devastated my mom, but so far I have

been relatively healthy. I couldn’t attend the spring break camp because my parents took me to Europe, but I am going to attend the summer camp. I can’t wait to try surfing.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening genetic disease that primarily affects the lungs and digestive sys-

tem. An estimated 30,000 children and adults in the United States have CF. In people with CF, a defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections. CF also obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down food and absorb vital nutrients.

■ PAUL MONTE (continued)

District 1 • 2015Feature Writing contest tips anD sample story


1. Figure out what the story is about and its theme or focus. This story is about a science teacher who is hosting a surfing camp for children with Cystic Fibrosis.


He raised his voice so the students could hear him over the breaking waves.“Cough it up. Clear those lungs and take a plunge,” science teacher Paul Monte chanted.It was his spring break cheer. Over and over again, he cheered his campers on as they

coughed up the mucus that was coating their lungs.“The water helped them clear their lungs,” he said. “At first, the kids were kind of embar-

rassed about the coughing, but I turned the coughing into an achievement.”

The lead possibilities are endless.


nut graphAnd what an achievement it was. At Monte’s spring break surfing camp for kids with Cystic

Fibrosis, every one of his campers improved their lung function. New research shows that ocean water helps clear out the thick mucus that builds up in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis. Because of the success, Monte, who lost his sister to CF, decided to host an eight-week sum-mer camp.


Be sure you attribute after the quote, or at least after the first sentence. An attribution should be: subject of attribution followed by the verb of attribution (“Monte said,” not “said Monte”). Avoid stacking quotes. Try to avoid putting two or more quotes together without placing some kind of transition between them. Also, make sure transitions tell information to help the action of the story and that the quote does not repeat information told in the transition.

transition/story-tellingMore than 20 children, ranging in ages from 5-17, attended the surfing camp. Monte hopes

he can double that number at his summer camp. To raise funds to hire a nurse for the camp, Monte is holding a 5K Fun Run and Walk on Saturday, May 2 at Lakeside Park.

DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS BEFORE OR DURING CONTEST!

direct quote“When we lost Bobbi in 2012, I vowed that I would continue to help find a cure for CF,” he

said. “The ocean isn’t a cure, but it certainly helps.”

transition/story-tellingMonte, who grew up on the coast, started surfing when he was 5 years old.

direct quote“Bobbi never surfed,” he said. “My parents didn’t think it would be good for her. If we only

would have known, I wonder if she would be alive today.”

5. Always use third person. Don’t say “our teacher” or “our own Paul Monte.” Also, do not editorialize. For instance, you should not say “He is an amazing teacher.” These statements are personal opinion and should not be made in a feature story.



“Bobbi would have loved to be a part of this camp,” he said. “I still miss her every day. Only once did I ask her if she was angry that she had CF. She looked at me confused and said, ‘CF keeps me focused on life, not death. It pushes me to be my best every day.’ She was my hero, and I want to make her proud.”


SAMPLE STORY

He raised his voice so the students could hear him over the breaking waves.“Cough it up. Clear those lungs and take a plunge,” science teacher Paul Monte chanted.It was his spring break cheer. Over and over again, he cheered his campers on as they coughed

up the mucus that was coating their lungs.“The water helped them clear their lungs,” he said. “At first, the kids were kind of embarrassed

about the coughing, but I turned the coughing into an achievement.”And what an achievement it was. At Monte’s spring break surfing camp for kids with Cystic Fibrosis,

every one of his camper improved their lung function. New research shows that ocean water helps clear out the thick mucus that builds up in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis. Because of the success, Monte, who lost his sister to CF, decided to host an eight-week summer camp.

CF is a life-threatening disease that causes severe damage to the lungs and digestive system. In people with CF, a defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to severe lung infections. The average life span for some-one with CF is 40 years old, but many do not live past their teens.

“My 10-year-old son attended Mr. Monte’s camp over spring break, and he had an incredible time,” English teacher Susan Malone said. “Caleb had never surfed before and made incredible gains over the week. And what’s more amazing is his lung function. His lung function improved 5 percent in just one week. His doctor was speechless.”

More than 20 children, ranging in ages from 5-17, attended the surfing camp. Monte hopes he can double that number at his summer camp. To raise funds to hire a nurse for the camp, Monte is holding a 5K Fun Run and Walk on Saturday, May 2, at Lakeside Park.

“When we lost Bobbi in 2012, I vowed that I would continue to help find a cure for CF,” he said. “The ocean isn’t a cure, but it certainly helps.”

Monte, who grew up on the coast, started surfing when he was 5 years old. “Bobbi never surfed,” he said. “My parents didn’t think it would be good for her. If we only would

have known, I wonder if she would be alive today.”Freshman Talia Sessions was diagnosed with CF when she was 10 years old. “It devastated my mom, but so far I have been relatively healthy,” she said. “I couldn’t attend the

spring break camp because my parents took me to Europe, but I am going to attend the summer camp. I can’t wait to try surfing.”

During the spring break camp, Monte took the campers out two at a time and moved them from sitting on their boards to pulling up their knees and eventually standing.

“The kids had a blast, but I think I had the most fun,” Monte said. “For six days straight, I was in the ocean teaching these amazing kids how to surf. I couldn’t believe how much progress they made in less than one week.”

The CF foundation will pay for tuition for parents who can’t afford the camp. Monte makes no profit from the camp, but he needs funds to cover the cost of surf boards, life jackets, and food. Also Monte hopes to raise $10,000 from the 5K so he can hire a full-time nurse for the camp.

“Bobbi would have loved to be a part of this camp,” he said. “I still miss her every day. Only once did I ask her if she was angry that she had CF. She looked at me confused and said, ‘CF keeps me focused on life, not death. It pushes me to be my best every day.’ She was my hero, and I want to make her proud.”


District 2 Meet • 2015

Feature Writing





your paper.

Leaguetown High School has an enrollment of 2,100 students in grades 9-12. On Monday, April 6, Claretta Abraham enrolled her 10-year-old daughter Tanisha at the high school. For the past six years, Tanisha’s mother home-schooled her but decided Tanisha needed a broader perspective in her education and began investigating school choices. In March, her mother spoke with school officials, who suggested Tanisha enter the fifth grade at Carter Elementary in the district. Tanisha’s mother thought her daughter was more advanced and asked the district to test her. The district did, and Tanisha passed all exit tests through the 10th grade. District officials were shocked but decided that, if the Abrahams agreed, Tanisha should enroll as a sophomore.

Tanisha is the youngest sophomore ever to attend LISD schools. She also may be the smallest at 4-foot 3-inches and 63 pounds. Tanisha is taking advanced core classes, theater arts and photography. On Friday, May 1, she will be featured on a PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) called “Little Geniuses.” You are writing for the issue of the Press to be distributed on Monday, April 13.

■ TANISHA ABRAHAM, sophomore “So far the classes are not too hard. The hardest part has been lugging my

backpack every day. It’s so heavy. Some days I feel like I am going to tip over. I hope we switch to textbooks on iPads next year. Seriously though, everything has been great. All of the students have been really nice to me, and the teachers are awesome. I love my mom, and she’s a good teacher. But the same teacher for eight hours a day for six years gets a little boring. She was aware of that, and that’s one of the main reasons I am here. She wanted me to have a more diverse experi-ence. My mom has two doctorates -— one in physics and one in English literature so she could have taught me everything I need. She couldn’t give me the social experiences though. We did take a multitude of field trips and mixed with other home-schooled students, but I never built relationships with anyone other than my mom. I have only been here for a few weeks, and already I have three friends.

“Learning has always come easy to me. My mom says I was reading at age 2. I was fluent in Spanish, which is not my native language, by age 4, and I balanced my dad’s checkbook at 6. I didn’t exactly have the normal childhood, but I still do regular kid things. I have watched all of the Harry Potter movies. I read the books, too. I love shopping and going to the movies.

“The PBS show is not as cool as it sounds. I am only in the documentary for about four minutes. I saw an early release, and I am a little embarrassed by my interview. I sound kind of like a snob. That’s the only bad thing about being smart. When I talk about it, I sound conceited. I am probably smarter than a lot of kids, but I stink at all sports. I can’t throw a ball to save my life. I am a total


klutz. I can’t dance. I can’t sing. Everyone has a talent. I’m just smart — no big deal. That’s what I have liked best about the school. Everyone has treated me like a normal kid, not some weird prodigy.”

■ CLARETTA ABRAHAM, Tanisha’s mom“I was so worried on Tanisha’s first day of school. You hear so many stories about bullying. I wanted her

to go to a small private school, but she was adamant about going to public school. I am glad she was so head-strong. She loves the school, adores her teachers and has begun to make friends. The school has embraced her. We are thrilled.

“We wanted Tanisha to move to a school setting to help prepare her for college. She is dying to go to Harvard, and that’s a pretty big school. I didn’t want her to transition from a school of one to a school of thousands.

“Tanisha is a gifted girl, but she is also a regular kid, too. She hates to be labeled a ‘genius’ or any varia-tion of that. I was shocked she agreed to be interviewed for the PBS documentary, but since she wasn’t the focus, she agreed.”

■ SILVIA KEALING, sophomore“Tanisha is in my theater class. We became instant friends because we both love Katy Perry and ‘The

Vampire Diaries.’ It’s a little weird that she’s only 10. I was shocked when she told me. I just thought she was tiny. I have two sisters who are 8 and 10, and I would have never guessed Tanisha was the same age as them. She’s much more mature.”

■ PAUL ENDLY, sophomore English teacher“Tanisha jumped right in on the first day. We were discussing ‘Othello,’ and she offered some great in-

sights. The students have accepted her as one of their own. In fact, when I was forming groups for a project, several students asked for Tanisha to join their group. She’s a brilliant student, but she doesn’t throw that in anyone’s face.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:Tanisha will be 12 years old when she graduates. She wants to become a cardiologist or pediatrician. If

she goes straight from high school to college to medical school, she could be a doctor by the time she turns 20 years old.

■ TANISHA ABRAHAM (continued)

District 2 • 2015Feature Writing contest tips anD sample story


1. Figure out what the story is about and its theme or focus. This story is about a 10-year-old girl who is attending high school.


The two high school girls were instant friends.They both love Katy Perry.And “The Vampire Diaries.”Both were finishing their sophomore year. So much in common.The only difference was that Tanisha was 10 years old.“I was shocked when she told me,” sophomore Silvia Kealing said. “I just thought she was

small.”



nut graphAfter being home-schooled for the past six years, 10-year-old Tanisha Abraham passed

the exit tests through the tenth grade. On the advice of district officials, Tanisha enrolled as a sophomore in April, making her the youngest sophomore ever to attend the high school.


Be sure you attribute after the quote, or at least after the first sentence. An attribution should be: subject of attribution followed by the verb of attribution (“Tanisha said,” not “said Tanisha”). Avoid stacking quotes. Try to avoid putting two or more quotes together without placing some kind of transition between them. Also, make sure transitions tell information to help the action of the story and that the quote does not repeat information told in the transition.

transition/story-tellingBut whether she likes it or not, Tanisha is a prodigy. In fact, on Friday, May 1, she will be

featured on the PBS show “Little Geniuses,” although she says it’s “not as cool as it sounds.”


direct quote“I saw an early release, and I am a little embarrassed by my interview,” she said. “I sound

kind of like a snob. That’s the only bad thing about being smart. When I talk about it, I sound conceited.”

transition/story-tellingTanisha’s mother, Claretta Abraham, has doctorates in physics and English literature and

has home-schooled her daughter for the past six years.

direct quote“We wanted Tanisha to move to a school setting to help prepare her for college,” Claretta

said. “She is dying to go to Harvard, and that’s a pretty big school. I didn’t want her to move from a school of one to a school of thousands.

5. Always use third person. Don’t say “our student” or “our own Tanisha Abraham.” Also, do not editorialize. For instance, you should not say “She is a smart student.” These statements are personal opinion and should not be made in a feature story.



If she continues in public school, Tanisha will graduate at 12. But for now, she just wants to be a normal girl.

“I am probably smarter than a lot of kids, but I stink at all sports,” said Tanisha, who hopes to become a cardiologist or pediatrician. “I can’t throw a ball to save my life. I am a total klutz. I can’t dance. I can’t sing. Everyone has a talent. I’m just smart-- no big deal.”


SAMPLE STORY

The two high school girls were instant friends.They both love Katy Perry.And “The Vampire Diaries.”Both were finishing their sophomore year. So much in common.The only difference was that Tanisha was 10 years old.“I was shocked when she told me,” sophomore Silvia Kealing said. “I just thought she was small.”After being home-schooled for the past six years, 10-year-old Tanisha Abraham passed the exit

tests through the tenth grade. On the advice of district officials, Tanisha enrolled as a sophomore in April, making her the youngest sophomore ever to attend the high school.

“Everyone here has treated me like a normal kid, not some weird prodigy,” Tanisha said. “That’s what I have liked best about this school.”

But whether she likes it or not, Tanisha is a prodigy. In fact, on Friday, May 1, Tanisha will be fea-tured on the PBS show “Little Geniuses,” although she says it’s “not as cool as it sounds.”

“I saw an early release, and I am a little embarrassed by my interview,” she said. “I sound kind of like a snob. That’s the only bad thing about being smart. When I talk about it, I sound conceited.”

Tanisha’s mother, Claretta Abraham, has doctorates in physics and English literature and has home-schooled her daughter for the past six years.

“We wanted Tanisha to move to a school setting to help prepare her for college,” her mother said. “She is dying to go to Harvard, and that’s a pretty big school. I didn’t want her to move from a school of one to a school of thousands.”

Although Tanisha only stands at 4-foot 3-inches and barely weighs 60 pounds, she is every bit a high school student. She is taking all advanced core classes, as well as theater arts and photography.

“So far the classes are not too hard,” Tanisha said. “The hardest part has been lugging my back-pack every day. It’s so heavy. Some days I feel like I am going to tip over.”

Tanisha’s mother was worried that she would struggle with the transition to public school — espe-cially a high school, but English teacher Paul Endly said the students “have accepted her as one of the group.”

“In fact, when I was making groups for a project, several different students asked for Tanisha to be in their group,” he said.

Tanisha admits that learning has always come easy to her. She began reading at age 2, was bilin-gual at 4 and could balance her dad’s checkbook at 6 years of age.

“I didn’t exactly have the normal childhood, but I still do regular things like other kids,” she said. “I have watched all of the Harry Potter movies. I read the books, too. I love shopping and going to the movies.”

If she continues in public school, Tanisha will graduate at 12. But for now, she just wants to be a normal girl.

“I am probably smarter than a lot of kids, but I stink at all sports,” said Tanisha, who hopes to become a cardiologist or pediatrician. “I can’t throw a ball to save my life. I am a total klutz. I can’t dance. I can’t sing. Everyone has a talent. I’m just smart-- no big deal.”


Regional Meet • 2015

Feature Writing





your paper.

Leaguetown High School has an enrollment of 600 students in grades 9-12. On March 3, science teacher Rubi Miro gave birth to an 8-pound girl, Talia. Miro’s doctor reported she had a normal C-section, but in the recovery room, nurses noticed Miro wasn’t breathing. Fluid from her amniotic sac had flooded into her bloodstream, causing an amniotic fluid embolism. The fluid created a vacuum in Miro’s heart, stopping circulation and lung function. The medical team attempted to revive her through chest compressions and a heart defibrillator. After an hour of no success, Miro’s doctor connected her to life support and explained to her family that nothing more could be done.

Miro’s husband and mother came into the room to say goodbye, and the nurses unplugged the life support. Seconds after life support was turned off, Miro’s heart started beating on its own. The nurse screamed for the doctors who rushed to the room. What happened next defies medical explanation, her doctor said. Miro woke up. She suffered no brain damage, no burns from the defibrillator and no bruises from the chest compressions. She was alert but confused. She awoke to a room full of crying people.

Miro and Talia will appear on the local morning news show, “Good Day Texas,” on Friday, May 1. You are writing for the issue of the Press to be distributed on this Monday, April 27.

■ RUBI MIRO, science teacher“I don’t know why I was given this opportunity, but since hearing about my

experience, I have cherished every minute of every day. I am so very grateful. When I woke up in the hospital room, I was really confused. I was awake for most of the C-section, but at some point, before the doctors could show me Talia, I passed out. When I woke up, I thought I had only been out for a few minutes, but that wasn’t the case. I was surrounded by nurses, doctors, my husband and mom, and most of them were crying. My mom was sobbing, and she kept thank-ing God. I had no idea what had just happened, and even when they told me, it took a while to believe it.

“Everything happens for a reason. There is a reason I survived, and I am not going to waste a single day. Talia is a healthy, chubby little girl, and I cherish every moment with her and my other two wonderful children.

“The doctors are calling me the ‘Miracle Mom’ because they have no expla-nation for why I am alive and alert. But I don’t think I am a miracle. A miracle happened, but it wasn’t me. I know everyone has different beliefs, but it’s hard for me to deny a higher power after this experience. Some may say it was positive energy or my karma, but whatever caused it, I am grateful. Every day I try to be better than the day before. I am letting go of the small stuff and embracing life.

2015 REGIONAL FEATURE • PAGE 2

“Talia is fantastic. She is a good eater and a good sleeper. She smiles and coos already. Her brother and sister adore her. She is definitely not short on admirers.

“I love Jaci Smith and Rob Robin, the hosts for “Good Day Texas,” and I trust they will allow me to share my message. I want people to stop and think. Our days on this planet are numbered. We have no idea when our time will end. People should love and live and laugh as much as they can. Let go of the little things and enjoy life.”

■ GABE MIRO, Rubi’s son and a freshman“I was at school when most of this happened. My dad was going to pick me up me after school so I could

meet my new sister, but my aunt showed up at 11 a.m. to get me. I knew something was wrong, but my aunt wouldn’t say much. By the time we arrived at the hospital, my mom’s heart was beating again, and she was talking. After I heard the whole story, I went to the hospital chapel and prayed. My mom is the best person I know. I can’t imagine life without her.

“Mom is right when she says the experience changed her. She used to stress out all the time — not anymore. Now instead of yelling when I screw up, she laughs. I admit it’s a little weird that she tells me that she loves me about 15 times a day, but it’s kind of cool, too. When she got home from the hospital, mom started a grateful journal. Every night before she goes to bed, she writes in it. She’s been hounding me to start one, too. Last week, I finally did. My first entry was only one word. Mom.”

■ GRANT MIRO, Rubi’s husband“Saying goodbye to the love of my life was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. My heart broke as the nurse

unplugged the machine. But then we heard that sound. The nurse looked at us when the beeping started and checked Rubi’s pulse. She started yelling, ‘She’s back. She’s back,’ and then ran out of the room to get the doctor. My mother-in-law and I were stunned. We didn’t talk or move. And then Rubi woke up. My emo-tions ran the gamut that day. I don’t have an explanation for what happened, and I don’t need one. I have my wife and my children have their mother. I am grateful and loving every day.”

■ DR. BRETT DERDEN, Miro’s doctor“There are few things in medicine that I’ve seen that are unexplainable. Rubi is one of them. There is no

medical explanation for what happened. Rubi should have died or, at best, suffered severe brain damage. I guess it’s a miracle. That’s my only explanation — a wonderful miracle.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:Miro is 38 years old. She has two other children — Gabe, a freshman, and Zoe, a third grader.

■ RUBI MIRO (continued)

Regional • 2015FeatuRe WRiting Contest tips and sample stoRy


1. Figure out what the story is about and its theme or focus. This story is about a teacher who de-fied medical odds.


It was over. An hour after science teacher Rubi Miro gave birth a healthy baby girl, her husband

and mother said their tearful goodbyes.“Saying goodbye to the love of my life was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. My heart

broke as the nurse unplugged the machine,” Grant Miro said.“But then we heard that sound.”That sound was a beep, then another and another. Rubi Miro’s heart was beating

— on its own.“There are few things in medicine that I’ve seen that are unexplainable,” Dr. Brett

Derden said. “Rubi is one of them.”



nut graphAfter giving birth March 3, Miro suffered from amniotic fluid embolism, stopping her

circulation and lung function. The medical team attempted to revive her through chest compressions and a heart defibrillator for an hour with no success. She was connected to life support, and an hour later the plug was pulled. Seconds after, Miro’s heart start-ing beating and she woke up.


Be sure you attribute after the quote, or at least after the first sentence. An attribution should be: subject of attribution followed by the verb of attribution (“Miro said”, not “said Miro”). Avoid stacking quotes. Try to avoid putting two or more quotes together without placing some kind of transition be-tween them. Also, make sure transitions tell information to help the action of the story and that the


quote does not repeat information told in the transition.

transition/story-tellingMiro defied medical explanation when she woke up with no brain damage, and no

burns from the defibrillator or bruises from the chest compressions. Miro will share her story on “Good Morning Texas” this Friday.

direct quote“I want people to stop and think,” she said. “Our days on this planet are numbered.

We have no idea when our time will end. People should love and live and laugh as much as they can. Let go of the little things and enjoy life.”

transition/story-tellingMiro’s doctor said he can’t explain what happened.

direct quote“Rubi should have died or, at best, suffered severe brain damage,” Dr. Derden said.

“I guess it’s a miracle. That’s my only explanation — a wonderful miracle.”

5. Always use third person. Don’t say “our teacher” or “our own Rubi Miro.” Also, do not editorial-ize. For instance, you should not say “She is very awesome.” These statements are personal opinion and should not be made in a feature story.



Miro wasn’t the only one changed by her experience.“When she got home from the hospital, mom started a grateful journal,” Gabe said.

“Every night before she goes to bed, she writes about the things that she is grateful for. She’s been hounding me to start one, too. Last week, I finally did. My first entry was only one word. Mom.”


SAMPLE STORY

It was over. An hour after science teacher Rubi Miro gave birth a healthy baby girl, her husband and mother

said their tearful goodbyes.“Saying goodbye to the love of my life was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. My heart broke as the

nurse unplugged the machine,” Grant Miro said.“But then we heard that sound.”That sound was a beep, then another and another. Rubi Miro’s heart was beating — on its own.“There are few things in medicine that I’ve seen that are unexplainable,” Dr. Brett Derden said.

“Rubi is one of them.”After giving birth March 3, Miro suffered from amniotic fluid embolism, stopping her circulation

and lung function. The medical team attempted to revive her through chest compressions and a heart defibrillator for an hour with no success. She was connected to life support, and an hour later the plug was pulled. Seconds after, Miro’s heart starting beating and she woke up.

“When I woke up, I thought I had only been out for a few minutes, but that wasn’t the case,” Miro said. “I was surrounded by nurses, doctors, my husband and mom, and most of them were crying. I had no idea what had just happened, and even when they told me, it took a while to believe it.”

Miro defied medical explanation when she woke up with no brain damage, and no burns from the defibrillator or bruises from the chest compressions. Miro will share her story on “Good Morning Texas” this Friday.

“I want people to stop and think,” she said. “Our days on this planet are numbered. We have no idea when our time will end. People should love and live and laugh as much as they can. Let go of the little things and enjoy life.”

Miro’s doctor said he can’t explain what happened.“Rubi should have died or, at best, suffered severe brain damage,” Dr. Derden said. “I guess it’s a

miracle. That’s my only explanation — a wonderful miracle.”According to doctors, Miro had a normal C-section, but in the recovery room the nurses noticed she

wasn’t breathing. Amniotic fluid was flooding into the bloodstream, creating a vacuum in the heart. “The doctors are calling me the ‘Miracle Mom’ because they have no explanation for why I am alive

and alert,” Miro said. “But I don’t think I am a miracle. A miracle happened, but it wasn’t me. It’s hard for me to deny a higher power after this experience.”

Miro’s son, freshman Gabe Miro, said he can’t imagine life without his mother. “My mom is the best person I know,” Gabe said. Miro said she has been changed by the experience and is “letting go of the small stuff and em-

bracing life.”“There is a reason I survived, and I am not going to waste a single day,” she said. Gabe agrees the experience changed his mother.“She used to stress out all the time — not anymore,” he said. “Now instead of yelling when I screw

up, she laughs. I admit it’s a little weird that she tells me that she loves me about 15 times a day, but it’s kind of cool, too.”

Miro wasn’t the only one changed by her experience.“When she got home from the hospital, mom started a grateful journal,” Gabe said. “Every night

before she goes to bed, she writes about the things that she is grateful for. She’s been hounding me to start one, too. Last week, I finally did. My first entry was only one word. Mom.”


Dr. Charles Breithaupt was named UIL Executive Director of the University Interscholastic League in February 2009 and was appointed Associate Vice President at the University of Texas at Austin in February 2011. He has served the UIL for the past 23 years. He oversees the academic, music and athletic competition for more than 1,400 high schools, 1,600 middle schools and 2,000 elementary schools in the state of Texas.

Prior to being named executive director, he served as associate director and director of athletics for UIL. He was promoted to associate director in August 2004 after serving as the athletic director for 14 years. Breithaupt is only the seventh executive director in the 105-year history of the University Interscholastic League.

Breithaupt worked in public schools for 17 years prior to joining the League. He began his career as an English teacher and bus driver at Buna Junior High where he also coached the seventh grade B football team, boys’ and girls’ basketball and boys’ and girls’ track and field. In 1991, he was coaching at Hardin-Jefferson High School when his basketball team won the AAA state championship, and he was named coach of the year.

During his career in public schools, he also has served as an athletic director, assistant principal, high school principal and as a school board member. He was inducted into the Southeast Texas Coaches Hall of Honor in 2001 and the Texas Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. He was inducted in the Texas High School Coaches Hall of Honor in 2005 and was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2014. Dr. Breithaupt also received a Lone Star Emmy Award as Executive Producer of the High School Spotlight Show shown on Fox Southwest.

He has served on several national committees including the National Federation of State High School Associations Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Committee and the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee. He has served on numerous state association, community and church boards. He currently serves as a deacon in his church and teaches a Sunday school class.

In 2012, Breithaupt co-authored “King Cotton,” published by Eakin Press. This book chronicles the life of a legendary Texas high school basketball coach. He is currently working on four addi-tional book projects.

A graduate of Buna High School, he participated in UIL several contests — spelling, headline writing and feature writing competition — and served as editor of both the high school yearbook and newspaper. In addition, he participated in football, basketball, baseball and track and field. He received his bachelor and master degrees from Lamar University in Beaumont, and he completed his doctorate degree at the University of Texas at Austin in July 1996.

Breithaupt is married and has one daughter and a granddaughter. He is an avid reader and loves the outdoors and traveling.

Breithaupt will be the final speaker at the UIL State Feature Writing Contest. Next year, the for-mat changes to a prompt.

UIL Journalism Director Jeanne Acton said it is fitting for Breithaupt to be the final speaker for this contest.

“Every time Dr. Breithaupt speaks, he inspires,” she said. “It’s easy to see why he was a State Champion coach. He could motivate a slug to run a marathon.

“He’s also an amazing storyteller, and he has a story to tell about UIL. He’s been connected to this organization for the majority of his life and absolutely loves it. You can see it in his actions and hear it in his voice. I wanted students to get the chance to hear from this passionate man before we change this contest.”

2015 State UIL Feature Writing Guest Speaker

State Meet

FeatureWriting

ContestThe interview

period will last 30 MINUTES.

At the end of the in-terview, you will have

ONE HOUR to write your story.

Put ONLY your NUMBER on every page of

your entry.

Write on ONE SIDE of the paper and

DOUBLE SPACE.

Turn in only your en-try. You may KEEP YOUR

NOTES and this fact sheet.

GOOD LUCK!

Charles Breithaupt

Charles Breithaupt

2015 State MeetFeature Writing Champions

TOPS IN TEXAS 6A - Urub Khawaja, Reagan High SchoolOne person in Dr. Charles Breithaupt’s fourth grade class was all it took to change the course of his life. “My teacher, Ms. Stanford, looked like a porcelain doll and wore this red lipstick to school every day,” Bre-

ithaupt said. “She saw something in me that I didn’t see. She showed me that there was more to life than basket-ball.”

After receiving the guidance of his fourth grade teacher, Breithaupt decided to join the spelling bee, his first academic contest that led to many others in his future.

His passion for academic contests eventually led to his involvement in UIL, which he has served for the past 23 years. Breithaupt was named UIL Executive Director of the University Interscholastic League in February 2009 and was appointed Associate Vice President at the University of Texas at Austin in February 2011, and will be the last guest speaker for the UIL State Feature Writing Contest.

“Coming to UIL was really difficult for me—I was a big fish in a small town,” Breithaupt said. “I was lost without connection to students every day. But I try to tell our staff that good is the enemy of great—all of you did not make it here because you’re good but because you’re great, and often we realize that good is not good enough, and we will not rest until good is better and better is best.”

Breithaupt began his career as an English teacher and a bus driver at Buna Junior High School, where he also coached the seventh grade B football team, boys’ and girls’ basketball and boys’ and girls’ track and field. In 1991, he was coaching at Hardin-Jefferson High School when his basketball team won the AAA state championship, and he was named coach of the year.

“At the sports hall of fame, I realized that I missed three things: I miss the camaraderie of coaches and stu-dents after practice, and I miss the bus ride home after a big win—I get chill bumps thinking how fun that was,” he said. “The third thing I miss is kids coming to school asking me, ‘Coach can I borrow a dollar for lunch’ or ‘Coach, my parents are getting a divorce, can you help me?’ To me, that captures the essence of how coaching is a lifelong thing.”

According to Breithaupt, extracurricular activities are what make school important and help with success. A graduate of Buna High School, he participated in several UIL contests—spelling, headline writing and feature writing competition—and served as the editor of both the high school yearbook and newspaper. In addition, he participated in football, basketball, baseball and track and field.

“What we do is all important as long as students are involved in it,” he said. “School wasn’t as important to my father, but it was important to me because of the extracurriculars.”

Breithaupt oversees the academic, music and athletic competition for more that 1,400 high schools, 1,600 middle schools and 2,000 elementary schools in the state of Texas. He said that his involvement in UIL helps him serve as a magnet to bring students to school every day.

“I think one of the greatest things you can do is be as involved as possible,” he said. “Being here is because of all of those who surrounded me. Great surprise, they say that behind every successful man is a proud wife and a surprised mother-in-law.”

UIL journalism Director Jeanne Acton said that it is fitting for Breithaupt to be the final speaker for the UIL State Feature Writing Contest.

“Every time Dr. Breithaupt speaks, he inspires,” she said. “He’s been connected to this organization for the majority of his life and absolutely loves it. You can see it in his actions an hear it in his voice.”

Although his basketball tem won the state championship, Breithaupt said that his proudest achievement in his 40 years of education is the addition of contests that haven’t even been initiated yet, such as the spirit contest and a contest for robotics.

“I think we kept UIL alive,” he said. “If you don’t survive sunset, generally the sunset means you’re going

down, but we were able to show that UIL is worthwhile. We had our 100 year anniversary five years ago and we celebrated knowing that there is always a mousetrap around the corner and someone may be better, but we have such a great staff and I’m thankful knowing that we’ve had such great team players.”

5A - Laurel Brittain, Port Neches-Grove High School When he ended his speech as the last live University Interscholastic League State Feature Writing Contest

speaker, it is on of the many times that Dr. Charles Breithaupt will hear a round of applause for the change he has made in students’ lives across Texas.

Although the UIL State Feature Writing completion will switching to a prompt form completion, Br. Breit-haup said he wants to see this be a positive change that the UIL competitions will bring in the years to come.

“The legacy that UIL has left up until this point is someone else’s decision,” Dr. Breithaupt said. “The main focus is, is that we have kept it alive throughout the years. We were able to show that UIL is a great organization. We just passed our 100 year anniversary and we have the finest staff and the greatest minds in the world that help run this program.”

As Executive Director of the University Interscholastic League, Associate Vice President at the University of Texas at Austin and a member of the Texas High School Coaches Hall of Honor, Dr. Breithaupt sums up his many jobs as anything but ordinary.

“I’m usually on the road to the office by six in the morning,” Dr. Breithaupt said. “Every day, you never know what’s coming. As some say, ‘When the day begins, all hell breaks loose.’ Anything can happen that deals with controversy, no shows, ineligibility that we’ve looked over. But the not-knowing is why I love my job.”

As he reminisced throughout his childhood years, Dr. Breithaupt recalled the spark that has driven him to be the man that he is today.

“It started out with me living in a small town where all I knew how to do was play basketball,” Dr. Breithaupt said. “But when my fourth grade teacher, Ms. Lillian Stanford, a porcelain doll dressed to the nines, put her hand on my shoulder and told me how proud she was of me, that changed my life.”

Dr. Breithaupt began his career as an English teacher and a bus driver at Buna Junior High where he also coached the seventh grade B football team, boy’s and girl’s basketball, and boys’ and girls’ track and field. He later went on to coach the Hardin Jefferson State Basketball Champions in 1991.

“Throughout my coaching career, playing and losing taught me valuable lessons,” Dr. Breithaupt said. “Learning to work through adversity, learning to take instruction from authorities, learning to work with team-mates, it all has helped me become the man I am today and strive to make UIL the best program it can be.”

According to Dr. Breithaupt, the turning point in his career was when a fellow coach pulled him aside in an important game and taught him something he has strived to remember throughout anything he does.

“I was coaching the seventh grade B team game, and one of my best coaching friends pulled me aside and told me, ‘everyone can coach the good kids, but who is going to coach the kids that no one likes,’” Dr. Breithaupt said. “‘You have to coach all of them. It’s not all about the touchdowns and baskets scored, it’s about the students you coach.’ When I heard that lesson, I wasn’t always good at applying it to everything in my life, but I’ve tried to remember it throughout the years.”

Dr. Breithaupt also believes that without his religion, family, and supporters, he could not have accomplished as much as he has throughout his adult life.

“Church and family has been a part of my life since day one,” Dr. Breithaupt said. “My family is so important and I’ll have been married for 38 years in June. Behind every man stands a supporting wife and a very surprised mother-in-law. Being where I am today is because of all who surrounded me all of my life.”

Although he is the last live speaker at the state competition, Dr. Breithaupt said he does not consider himself the last anything.

“I don’t want to be thought of as the last,” Dr. Breithaupt said. “We have set a standard for change. The one thing we find out through change is progress. It moves us in a positive direction whether we like it or not. Each and every student involved in UIL Academics has helped us find a positive way to change.”

During a question-and-answer session, Dr. Breithaupt was asked what one word he would choose to be en-

graved on his tombstone. His answer: proud. “I am proud,” Dr. Breithaupt said, “Proud of all of the outstanding men and women I have worked with over

the years, proud of the students around me and what they’ve accomplished. I am so proud to have been able to see what the students have made the UIL program and how much it has progressed through the years.”

4A - Molly Rodeffer, Salado High SchoolThere was always one question that he kept repeating: “Why do I do what I do?”This inquiry took center stage when UIL Executive Director Charles Breithaupt answered the questions asked

by 72 students at the UIL State Feature Writing Contest on Tuesday, May 26. “I belive my legacy will be that I kept UIL alive,” Breithaupt said. “Being able to show how UIL is a successful

state agency is one of the greates things to happen in UIL history.” Breithaupt was not raised to think highly of academics though. In his small town school, basketball was the

main priority. “My fourth grade teacher, Lillian Stanford actually showed me there was more to life than basketball,” Bre-

ithaupt said. “She introduced me to the spelling contest, and with my last name, she thought I would do well in that contest.”

Writing became a love of Breithaupt, but with the legacy of basketball at his school, he still wanted to be an outstanding coach in that sport.

“When I started my career as an English teacher, bus driver, and seventh grade B-team basketball coach. I didn’t think I’d get very close to phenomenal,” Breithaupt said. “Winning a state championship had a great sense of accomplishment.”

However, Breithaupt does not think winning a state championship was his proudest achievement. “What I am proud of is the addition of contests in UIL and the willingness to change,” Breithaupt said. “Peo-

ple don’t like change, but progress moves us forward in a positive way, whether we like it or not.” Breithaupt thinks the greatest thing a student can do is get involved as much as they can. “Whatever we do, it is important to get students involved,” Breithaupt said. “The greatest common denomi-

nator in successful people is extracurricular activities.” As a coach, Brethaupt did what he could to bring students to school and make them great, because he be-

lieves it is important to care about students and the people they will become. “One of the turning points in my life is when my mentor told me I couldn’t be a good coach until I could

coach everyone, from the coachable, athletic student to the skinny, red-haired, freckle-faced kid,” Breithaupt said. “To be a good coach I had to find the value in all kids.”

Turning all students from a good mindset to a great mindset is Breithaupt’s goal because doing this will help grow students into ambitious, successful people that he had to honor of teaching, helping, and mentoring.

“So, why do I do what I do?” Breithaupt asked. “Because where else could I find such splendid company.”

3A - Madison Hagood, Comanche High SchoolThe timid, fourth grade boy looks up as his teacher pauses to pat him on the shoulder. Dressed to the nines

everyday, with her lipstick catching the glare from the overhead lights, the young boy smiles. This is the woman who showed him that there is more to life than basketball, that his father’s eighth grade education does not de-fine nor limit him, and that, contrary to what he has repeatedly been told, he is of value and worth.

Now, Dr. Charles Breithaupt stands before a group of 72 journalism students as the Executive Director of the University Interscholastic League, and the last guest ever to speak at the State feature writing competition. He is no longer that timid child, but a man who is proud of his family, his accomplishments, and of the legacy that will follow him.

“One of the things I like to ask myself is why,” Breithaupt said. “Why am I doing this? Why am I here today? I think it’s because, from where I look, there sits a Senator, there sits an engineer, and there sits a teacher. Where else would I find such splendid company? That’s why I do what I do.”

Breithaupt grew up with a love of the game of basketball, and started his career as the seventh grade B team coach at Buna Junior High.

“I found out after they hired me that it wasn’t because I was a basketball coach or an English teacher, but be-cause I knew how to drive a bus,” Breithaupt said. “The turning point for me, though was when the A team coach pulled me aside after a game and said, ‘You won’t every be a good coach until you realize that anyone can coach the good kids, but what about the kid that no one likes? Who is going to coach him?’ That taught me that you have to see the value and worth in everyone.”

From Buna, Breithaupt moved to Hardin-Jefferson High School, where, in 1991, his basketball team won the AAA state championship, and Breithaupt was named coach of the year.

“We will celebrate the 25th anniversary of winning the state championship in the spring,” Breithaupt said. “More importantly than even winning the game, however, is the fact that all five starters now have the word “Dr.” in front of their names. While advancing to state makes you part of an elite group, I told my players, ‘Don’t let this be the highlight of your life.’”

From coaching, Breithaupt moved to the area of academics, and became the UIL Executive Director in 2009. He oversees the academic, music and athletic competition for more than 1,400 high schools, 1,600 middle schools, and 2,000 elementary schools across the state.

“We have kept the UIL alive amidst controversy, and we were able to show that the UIL is worthwhile,” Bre-ithaupt said. “We celebrated our 100th anniversary five years ago, knowing that there is always someone around the corner who thinks that they can do a better job. You never know what is going to happen, and that makes my job exciting.”

As Breithaupt wraps up his interview, a former coach, husband, father, and the last speaker ever to captivate the contestants of the State Feature Writing Competition, he insists that this is not the end, but the beginning.

“We have set the trend of change, and for an organization that is set in tradition, change can be difficult,” Bre-ithaupt said. “But with change, comes progress. In my 40 years, my proudest moment was not winning the state championship, but the addition of UIL contests that you probably haven’t even heard of. Spirit contests, robotics, film contests, I am proud of the fact that we are opening up to new things.”

2A - Callie Thornton, Claude High SchoolHe’s been an athletic director. He’s been a bus driver. He’s been an Associate Vice President at the University

of Texas in Austin. He is now the Executive Director of one of the largest leagues of its kind. He is Charles Breit-haupt.

On May 26, Breithaupt spoke at the State Feature Writing contest at the University of Texas in Austin. After having made a full circle from being a contestant in Feature Writing, to now speaking an being the Executive Director, Charles is the final person to speak for a live interview.

“I don’t know if I want to be the last anything,” he said.At first, Charles had a rocky road to greatness. His father only had an eighth grade education and his sister

wasn’t so great at school either. The future for Breithaupt looked to be just a re-run of the same show, until he met his fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Lillian Stanford.

“I was a C, C, C, C, student until Mrs. Stanford,” Breithaupt said. “She put her hand on my shoulder and said that I was something. That changed my life.”

Since then, Breithaupt has become more and more sure of himself. He competed in UIL, edited the Buna High School yearbook and newspaper, and attended Lamar University and the University of Texas. He then found his way back home and was hired as a coach at Buna Junior High.

“I thought I was Vince and Mike rolled all in to one, but the only reason they hired me wasn’t because I was this great English teacher or coach. It was because I could drive a bus,” Breithaupt said.

He then went to Jefferson High School, where his basketball team finished second in the state. In 1991, his team won the AAA Basketball Championship with a record of 37-1.

“We were the number one team all year long. It was their game. I had nothing to do with it,” said Breithaupt.

Even after winning, he had one last message for his players.“When we came back from Austin, I told them, ‘Don’t let this be the highlight of your life.’ I’ve seen too many

athletes just hanging around,” Charles said.After he served UIL for 23 years and left coaching, he was selected in 2009 after a nationwide search to re-

place Dr. Bill Farney’s as Executive Director of UIL.“You never know what’s coming. We have over 1 million contest a year, and every one of them are on the

brink of disaster,” Breithaupt said. “All Kinds of things happen. It makes for a vey eventful job because you never know what’s around the corner.”

Breithaupt was in education for almost half a century and coached for 17 years where he had an overall varsity record of 392-92. In those times, he was named to many halls of fame, but none of those were his biggest achievement.

“I think my proudest achievement in my 40 years of education was not the State Championship,” he said. “It’s the fact that we are willing to change, and I think that is what I am most proud of.”

Though Breithaupt has left the classroom, teaching people is still a big part of his life.“They ask me why I teach,” Breithaupt said. “There sits a doctor. There sits an engineer. Where else could I

find such splendid company?”

1A- Callie Shipley, Channing High SchoolRaised in a small town and labeled by his father’s eighth-grade education, Charles Breithaupt’s life changed

when his fourth-grade teacher put her hand on his shoulder and told him he was doing well.His teacher’s ability to see him as a ‘person of worth’ first ignited Breithaupt’s passion for education. Follow-

ing a 17-year career in public schools, Breithaupt worked at the University Interscholastic League as the director of athletics and later as the associate director. In February 2009, he was promoted to UIL executive director.

“He’s been connected to this organization for the majority of his life and absolutely loves it,” UIL Journalism Director Jeanne Acton said. “You can see it in his actions and hear it in his voice.”

Breithaupt first began his career as an English teacher, bus driver and coach at Buna Junior High. His favorite part of coaching—and what he misses the most—was the connection with his students.

“I miss kids coming to me at school asking for money, a ride home, or help with their problems,” Breithaupt said. “‘Coach, can I have a dollar for lunch?’ ‘Coach, my girlfriend’s pregnant. What do I do?’ That captures the essence of why I was proud to be called ‘Coach.’”

In 1991, Breithaupt coached Hardin-Jefferson High School’s basketball team to a state championship and was named Coach of the Year.

“After we won, I told them one thing,” Breithaupt said. “‘Don’t let this be the Highlight of your life.’ We don’t do UIL just to award gold medals. More important is the process: who worked with you to help you find your skills and what did you overcome.”

Breithaupt feels participation in extracurricular activities creates a better citizen and increases student suc-cess.

“Research shows that very plainly that in Fortune 500 Companies the greatest common denominator is sim-ply this: participation in extracurricular activities,” he said. “It makes schools a magnet to bring students every day to do what they love to do.”

The advice from another coach that Breithaupt received while coaching at Buna Junior High characterizes his mission to recognize children who, like him in fourth grade, may otherwise be overlooked.

“He told me, ‘Everyone can coach the good kids, the talented kids,’” Breithaupt said. “‘But you have to see val-ue in everyone. It’s not all about touchdowns and baskets scored. It’s about the person. It’s not about how much you know until they know how much you care.’”

feature writing€¦ · 2015 invitational a feature • page 2 william rudish, firefighter “gas...

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