Allen High School Film Students Claim State Championship at UIL Festival

Seven Allen High School students built a story around beetles, and it took them all the way to an Austin stage and a state title. Their animated film "Beetle Days," created by Efy Bryce, Jamie Boyce, Spencer Boyce, Raissa Dourado Viana, Luke Oliver Martinez, Logan Reed, and Mia Ponce De Leon, won first place in the 6A Digital Animation category at the UIL Young Filmmakers Festival, bringing home Allen High's state championship in one of Texas's most competitive high school film competitions.

The Allen ISD Board of Trustees recognized the students at a board meeting, part of a dominant showing that placed three Allen animation films in the top six at the state level. "Ghost Town," made by Olivia Noh, Ashley Nguyen, Katie Le, and Isabella Goh, claimed second place in the same 6A Digital Animation bracket. "Upswing," produced by Araceli Thompson, Brianna Gomez, Raissa Dourado Viana, Jamie Boyce, Andrew Bright, Kenneth Tieu, and Katie Le, finished sixth.

The UIL Young Filmmakers Festival, held annually in Austin, draws entries from across Texas in four categories: Digital Animation, Traditional Animation, Documentary, and Narrative. Films are submitted each January and evaluated by a panel of judges on originality, cinematic storytelling, and technical execution. Only six films per category survive multiple rounds of preliminary judging to reach the state screening, meaning Allen's three finalists in a single category represented an unusually deep performance for one program.

Allen competes in Class 6A, UIL's top tier, placing it against the largest high school programs in Texas. Placing first, second, and sixth in that field in the same category reflects not just the winning film but the program's overall strength.

"Beetle Days" kept earning recognition well beyond Austin. The film was selected as an Official Selection at the All American High School Film Festival and at the OK2BX Film Festival, two national platforms that draw the attention of college film programs and industry recruiters. For student filmmakers building a portfolio for creative-industry admissions, that combination of a UIL state title and festival selections carries real weight.

Allen High's animation and film program is part of the school's fine arts curriculum. The UIL Young Filmmakers Festival accepts entries each January, with state screenings held in late February, and admission to the festival is free and open to the public.

Here is the final formatted output:

SUMMARY: Efy Bryce and six classmates built a story around beetles — and it earned Allen High a 6A Digital Animation state title at UIL.

CONTENT:

Seven Allen High School students built a story around beetles, and it took them all the way to an Austin stage and a state title. Their animated film "Beetle Days," created by Efy Bryce, Jamie Boyce, Spencer Boyce, Raissa Dourado Viana, Luke Oliver Martinez, Logan Reed, and Mia Ponce De Leon, won first place in the 6A Digital Animation category at the UIL Young Filmmakers Festival, bringing home Allen High's state championship in one of Texas's most competitive high school film competitions.

The Allen ISD Board of Trustees recognized the students at a board meeting, part of a dominant showing that placed three Allen animation films in the top six at state. "Ghost Town," made by Olivia Noh, Ashley Nguyen, Katie Le, and Isabella Goh, claimed second place in the same 6A Digital Animation bracket. "Upswing," produced by Araceli Thompson, Brianna Gomez, Raissa Dourado Viana, Jamie Boyce, Andrew Bright, Kenneth Tieu, and Katie Le, finished sixth.

The UIL Young Filmmakers Festival, held annually in Austin, draws entries from across Texas in four categories: Digital Animation, Traditional Animation, Documentary, and Narrative. Films are submitted each January and evaluated by a panel of judges on originality, cinematic storytelling, and technical execution. Only six films per category survive multiple rounds of preliminary judging to reach the state screening, meaning Allen's three finalists in a single category represented an unusually deep performance for one program.

Allen competes in Class 6A, UIL's top tier, placing it against the largest high school programs in the state. Placing first, second, and sixth in that field in the same category reflects not just the winning film but the program's overall strength.

"Beetle Days" kept earning recognition beyond Austin. The film was selected as an Official Selection at the All American High School Film Festival and at the OK2BX Film Festival, two national platforms that draw the attention of college film programs and industry recruiters. For students building a portfolio for creative-industry admissions, that combination of a UIL state title and national festival selections carries real weight.

Allen High's animation and film classes are part of the school's fine arts curriculum. The UIL Young Filmmakers Festival accepts entries each January, with state screenings held in late February, and admission to the festival is free and open to the public.