I love writing, especially under pressure; the adrenaline rushing through my mind; the moments of staring at the prompt, not caring about the time running away; the feeling of submitting your essay, and then realizing all my mistakes. The beauty of University Interscholastic League competitions is obviously the actual competition, but also the emotions running through your body during it.
University Interscholastic League, or UIL, is the largest educational organization of it’s type in the entire world. It is a program in the state of Texas in the U.S that offers athletic, academic, and music contests for schools. It was founded in 1910 to foster good sportsmanship, teamwork, and extracurriculars. Ready Writing is part of UIL A+ Academics, which is a sector of academic contests for 2nd-8th grade. Students get 2.5 hours to write an impromptu, creative essay off 2 prompt options.
Last year, I placed 1st in Editorial Writing, 2nd in Oral Reading, and 3rd in Ready Writing. This year, I’m part of these 3, plus Maps Graphs & Charts, and Modern Oratory. I competed with the 3 Coppell schools, plus Argyle, Highland Park, and other schools around Dallas. I viewed my Ready Writing score for the previous year, and I got a 10/15. The top 2 both got 15. This year, I aimed for a 15.
Students are scored out of 200; the rubric includes grammar, creativity, title, and organization, which I’m confident I aced this year. First, I submitted my tryout essay. Here it is.
From Reader To Writer: A Narrative About Dedication
By Miraya Joshi
After school every day, for 2 years, I would run to the printer, grab 3 sheets of blank paper, fold them, staple them, run up to my room, and write. Everywhere else, I felt as if I was locked in a cage of dos or don’ts, yes or no, right or wrong. But in that room, my brain felt free. My imagination could run out of the dungeon, tear the metal gates of the real world, and fly into the sky. The sky had colors not depicted by the average eye. It had stories waiting to be written down and read, of dragons and warriors, children and adults, heroes and villains…
At that time, I probably wrote and illustrated over 20 mini books. I can vividly recall when, in 1st grade, my school held the PTA Reflections contest. I wrote and illustrated a short story about a problem I overcame. I got my first medal and smiled like I’ve never been happier. Little did I know that it was a benchmark in my journey as a young writer.
A few months later, the pandemic began. I thought it would ruin my life; lack of human interaction was what I presumed as my biggest fear during the time. But surprisingly, it helped me grow even more. I had more time to read and write. I participated in multiple writing competitions during that time. Every time I wrote or read, my foundation strengthened. My brain was unlocked by the golden key only I knew of.
Following the ending of the pandemic, during the summer of 3rd to 4th grade, I attended a kid’s sports camp. I became friends with a girl going to 5th grade, and I learned that she had published a book! She told me how, just like me, she loved writing when she was younger. She even gave me a copy of her book to read. We discussed what sparked her to become an author, how she wrote the book, and some challenges she faced. I was stunned. At such a young age, was it even possible to get a book published? Nonetheless, I was inspired by her dedication to writing. That day, I went home with the mindset that if she could publish a book, so could I.
Starting July of 2022, I got on my laptop, went to Google Docs, and typed every single day. Three best friends were doing a talent show, but everything was going wrong. It was cursed by a sweet and innocent girl. Everyone was under a curse, except one.
That was my original idea for a book, and I went along with it. But anyone could write that, right? I knew that I had to make it the most original book anyone had ever read. So, I added in my own written poems, songs, places, and creatures. Everyone, including my parents, thought I was crazy. Could a nine-year-old be so obsessed with writing that she was willing to publish a book. Only I knew the answer to that was yes.
I definitely faced challenges while writing, such as the time constraint to finish before the year ended, which was a personal goal. I also experienced frequent brain fog, and many pieces of the story didn’t seem to be as connected as I was hoping for.
Months later, I ended the story of friendship and teamwork with 90 pages. My parents hired an editor, and I worked with her for 2 months. Finally, on January 1, 2023, my book was self-published and available on Amazon; The Battle of Torra. When I held that book for the first time, my brain felt lighter. The glossy cover was glimmering from the sun that seemed to have finally come after months of staying locked up in my room on my laptop. My parents were very proud of my work, but I was the proudest of all. My childhood dream of becoming an author was finally fulfilled.
Following that, I never got the time to write another book, but I aspire to in the future. I never stopped participating in writing competitions, though. Going off my passion for writing, I also began a blog in which I wrote about important experiences that I don’t want to forget.
My published book will always be a reminder of patience, effort, and that good things come with dedication to me. I hope that it doesn’t just inspire me, but that it inspires other young people to follow their passion and never give up.
Personally, I was impressed by how I wrote this essay; I think I realized that when I write about things close to my heart, the emotions and description come much more naturally than compared to writing fiction. I got a 200 on this; I knew I was ready for the actual competition.
The Competition
March 12, 2026; the exciting, slightly nerve racking day of the competition. This competition was during the school day, so after 3rd period Theatre, I went to my 6th grade ELA teacher’s room. Silence. 8 other students were in the room; 3 students per grade. I began eating my lunch as my teacher explained the rules. Then, she handed us the prompts; Louder than Words and A Change. Louder than Words was about if actions speak louder than words or not. A Change was to write a story starting with “Jennifer knew it was time for a change…”. Personally, I decided to do Louder than Words because I had an idea of how to make it personal (which I learned could add emotion) and educational. I also didn’t want to make it a sad story, which was what I probably would’ve written for the other prompt. I was reading the top-scoring students in other grades from last year, and their stories were far too emotional; feeling like a failure, childhood trauma… too much for me to write.
After deciding my prompt, unlike usual, I actually began writing. Here is how it turned out.
Changing the World Without Words
Topic: Louder than Words
The sky was covered in waves of blue, sun glimmering on the metal railings of the playground slides, and laughter from the third-grade class. The day seemed picture perfect, just like in the movies; my friends and I ran across the hill of vibrant Texas bluebonnets, flying like the bluebirds in the sky.
But this picture-perfect scene didn’t last for long. Careless and foolish at my age, my eyes twitched. My hand let go of the wooden stick I was chasing my friend with, and my leg twisted opposite of where I swore I stepped. My heart raced, like during that one nightmare when you’re falling and can’t stop.
This time, I wasn’t in a nightmare, but boy did I know, I was definitely falling.
“AHH!” Sckttt! Ripppcchh! Skeeee!
Now, I was five feet below the hill I was running on seconds before. I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was blood streaming down my leg, bone almost visible. My friends rushed down the hill, all except one, who ran off. There, tears running down my flushed-red face, my friends kneeled beside me. “Are you okay?” “What do we do?” “Can you walk?” I don’t know if they could tell, but I was clearly not okay. I had absolutely no idea what to do, and with my bone out of its socket, did they think I could walk? My pain was unbearable, and my face grew hotter every second.
Two minutes later, for what seemed like eternity, the one friend who didn’t sit with me came running down the hill with a white bag, and stitched on it was a Red Cross symbol. She kneeled beside me, blue rubber gloves on, and began using gauze pads and alcohol to disinfect my leg. The others simply stared. Seconds later, the school nurse helped me sit up in a chair, while my friend and the nurse continued the procedure. I found myself in a leg brace later after visiting the Emergency Room.
A few days later, I came back to school. My friends who simply asked if I was okay just asked how I was doing. I didn’t get to see the one friend who helped me, but I could tell that she was true. She was the one who made a difference with actions.
She spoke louder by doing than saying could ever.
Many times in history, words aren’t enough. From innovation to human rights, louder than words is a significant virtue that many leaders stand by. Let me share with you my favorite examples in U.S. history that deeply inspire me with this principle.
The late 1800s to the early 1900s were the peak of rapid industrialization; Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla’s electricity became a household name, John D. Rockefeller’s oil built our country, and post-Civil War technology advanced healthcare. A young man, Henry Ford, wanted to be a part of this race.
During this time, cars were expensive and reserved for the wealthy upper-class. They also lacked innovation and weren’t exactly the most reliable vehicles at the time. Most people used public transportation, such as trains. But, as employment boomed among the people, middle-class civilians needed other ways to commute to their jobs.
Henry Ford could’ve just mailed the car manufacturers something like, “Make cars cheaper.” He even could’ve written an essay on it, but they probably wouldn’t care. They didn’t have the time to listen to a middle-class man like him. So, instead of depending on other people, Ford took action himself. He reconstructed the model of cars to make it more reliable, introduced the assembly line to boost production, and treated his employees well to encourage harder work.
All of his actions led to one of the greatest car companies of all time; Ford Motor Company. This clearly proves that actions speak louder than words; transforming an entire industry is undoubtedly loud.
Another one of my favorite examples is of a woman who was silent, but made our nation roar.
It was an afternoon in Montgomery, Alabama, just like any other during the mid 1900s. A colored woman with the name Rosa Parks was seated on a bus, not in the back, as the segregated culture of the United States emphasized on. At a bus stop, a White man boarded the bus.. As he walked along the aisle, he stopped at Rosa’s seat, expecting her to stand up and give away her seat, as enforced by U.S. law.
Rosa didn’t move a single inch. Not one.
Next, the bus driver, backed by the man, threatened to call the police if she didn’t abide by this law.
Rosa didn’t move a single inch. Not one.
Furious, the bus driver called the Montgomery police. When they arrived, they said the same thing as the others.
Rosa didn’t move a single inch. Not one.
As promised, the police took her away to the police station, locked her up in a cell, and forced her to endure the endless torture bound by standing up for equal rights.
The police laughed in the corner. “What will she do? She didn’t even say anything! No one is going to care about this little incident.”. Little did they know, it’s better not to judge a book by its cover. Soon, the story of Rosa Parks was all over the news. Across the country, people of color boycotted by not giving up their seats on the bus. Did they say anything? No. The government at the time wouldn’t have cared about what they said anyways. What would have occurred if they spoke; violent protests and putting regular people at risk of death? Avoiding this, the people took action.
These actions served as a turning point in the Civil Rights movement. A community who didn’t speak, but who took action, changed our nation forever.
In the end, it all depends on you. Speaking is definitely an important skill for getting your point across, but what about the point? How will your point make a difference? You can practice louder than words every day. You tell your friend that you want a hundred on your next math test? Then go study. You tell your parents that you want to help your community. Great, go volunteer at your local library. We want so many things, only achievable by doing. So, start taking action now, and watch yourself change the world more than words ever will.
*Disclaimer: The dialogues in the historical events are completely false and are merely to set the scene.
This year, I’ve been extremely interested in history, so I made sure to add some elements of history into my essay. Overall, I think that even if I don’t win, my writing has significantly improved since last year, my knowledge and curiosity has spiked, and my literature has positively changed. For any student who loves writing and challenging themselves, I persuade you to try out competitions and opportunities at any chance, because you can change a lot from it.