ALAMO - Four PSJA Memorial Early College High School students have been named to the 2016-2017 All-State Journalism staff by the University Interscholastic League (UIL). They are Sophomores Zorayda Sanchez and Josefina Martinez, Senior Roxanna Sanchez, and 2017 graduate and current University of Texas Austin student Alyssa Sandoval. 
“All-State staff members show initiative and a real desire to improve their journalistic skills,” said Jeanne Acton, UIL Director of Journalism.
The PSJA Memorial Early College High School UIL Journalism Coaches are Aaron Lozano and Jason Flores.
To become a member of the All-State Journalism Staff, students must accumulate points over the year based on their achievement in at UIL journalism contests, and other writing and publication contests, both statewide and nationwide. The students apply to become members of the All-State Staff.
Any student who is involved in scholastic journalism in Texas is eligible for the staff.
Two of the four students have also been part of PSJA ISD's Communication's Summer Internships Programs. Both Roxanna Sanchez and Alyssa Sandoval interned at the Rio Grande Guardian during the summer of 2016, increasing their experience in the field.
“Like any other extracurricular activity, journalism students put enormous amounts of time into their school publications and writing competitions,” Acton said. “These students need to be recognized for their commitment and passion to high school journalism. The skills students learn from journalism are lifelong.”
