Atascocita High School film animation students celebrate their UIL awards. (From left): Jacob Watson, senior; Stephan Ozan, senior; Elizabeth Banda, senior; Nicolas Jones, senior; Ty Mason, junior.
Humble ISD film animation students receive multiple top honors in statewide competition
Two animated films produced by students at Atascocita High School were recently recognized as a state champion and state runner-up in the University Interscholastic League’s (UIL) Young Filmmakers Festival.
The films “Pest Control” and “Purrgatory” were chosen out of 600 total entries across all categories that were submitted by schools across the state. “Pest Control” won first place and “Purrgatory” won third place in the UIL Division Two Traditional Animation Category.
“I helped with two films that won first and third place, and I couldn’t be more proud of my friends,” Elizabeth Banda, an AHS senior, said. “I can’t wait to see what we can all achieve in the future.”
AHS animation students who are juniors and seniors worked on the films for about four months.
“There’s a huge jump from just making one animated scene to making an animated film in its entirety,” Nicolas Jones, a senior at AHS, said.
AHS Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher Ann Wehrman touts the benefits of learning animation and how her past students are excelling in college.
“I have two former students now attending Texas A&M and are in the visualization degree program,” Wehrman said. “This is one of the most prestigious programs in the country for animation.”
The AHS visual animation program has an award-winning reputation on the state level. The program previously earned awards from the UIL competition in 2018 and 2019.
“We are extremely proud of the animation students and teacher at AHS,” Larkin Le Sueur, Humble ISD Director of Career and Technical Education, said. “This innovative program provides the necessary tools our students need to succeed as they explore all areas of the animation field.”
The UIL’s Young Filmmakers Festival is an annual competition that recognizes the talents of UIL students involved in theatre and film. Awards are given in categories for high school plays, junior high plays, theatrical design, play lists, and work that promotes social change.