Cypress Woods High School Captures UIL Region II Academic Championship, Sending CFISD Students to State
For the first time in five years, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD has a regional UIL academic champion — a milestone that reflects the district’s growing academic depth and the students preparing to represent Cypress communities on one of Texas’ biggest academic stages.
Cypress Woods High School claimed the UIL 6A Region II Academic Meet championship on April 25 at Baylor University, narrowly securing the title with 136 points in one of the closest finishes in recent memory. Waller High School followed with 133 points, while College Park High School finished third with 132.
The victory marks a major achievement not only for Cypress Woods, but for the broader Cypress-Fairbanks ISD community, where UIL academics continue to grow alongside the district’s reputation for athletics, arts and career programs. For students, families and educators across northwest Harris County, the win highlights the level of academic competition emerging from local campuses.
“The Cypress Woods coaches and teams put in an immense amount of time and energy to make UIL Academics at Cypress Woods the best in the state every single year,” said Stacey Armstrong, Cypress Woods’ UIL academic coordinator. “The coaches and teams believe in the strong UIL Academic winning tradition here at Cy Woods and want to always maintain that level of excellence. The 212 grind to be the best is what makes it fun.”
Cypress Woods Teams Dominate Key UIL Academic Categories
The Wildcats secured first-place finishes in two of the meet’s most competitive categories.
The Cypress Woods computer science team — Ryder Sanchez, Koa Asagami, Alaqmar Trunkwala and Jade Chen — earned first place overall, while the school’s math team of Coral Khieu, Prashaad Wadhwa, Eric Liu and Aishik Das also captured a regional title.
Several Cypress Woods students also qualified individually for the UIL Academic State Meet through top finishes:
- Alaqmar Trunkwala — 1st place, Computer Science
- Ryder Sanchez — 3rd place, Computer Science
- Coral Khieu — 2nd place, Mathematics
- Isabella Rhoads — 3rd place, Prose Interpretation
Under UIL rules, first-place teams and the top three individual competitors in each category advance to the state competition.
CFISD Sends 18 Students to UIL Academic State Meet
The regional championship was part of a broader showing for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD students across Region II and Region III competition.
Cypress Springs High School’s social studies and spelling teams also qualified for the UIL Academic State Meet after winning their respective regional categories, further strengthening CFISD’s presence at the state level.
In total, 18 CFISD students qualified individually for state competition later this month, representing schools throughout the district.
CFISD Students Advancing Individually to the UIL Academic State Meet
Bridgeland High School
Jeff Jiju — 1st place, Current Issues and Events
Ansh Shah — 2nd place, Accounting
Cypress Creek High School
Sushanth Muta — 1st place, Ready Writing
Cy-Fair High School
James Burke — 1st place, Lincoln Douglas Debate
Cypress Falls High School
Valerie Okey-Ejiowhor — 2nd place, Editorial Writing
Cypress Park High School
Camila Araujo — 1st place, Prose Interpretation
Oghenerunor Fogeh — 3rd place, Persuasive Speaking
Cypress Ranch High School
Arav Devaraj — 2nd place, Persuasive Speaking
Cypress Springs High School
Christian Jack — 1st place, Spelling
Toan Nguyen — 3rd place, Spelling
Joseph Oguejiofor — 2nd place, Social Studies
Christopher Ordonez — 3rd place, Social Studies
Hershie Soriano — 3rd place, Headline Writing
Langham Creek High School
Sabrina Sanz — 2nd place, Ready Writing
Why the UIL Academic Championship Matters for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
While UIL competitions are often associated with athletics, academic UIL events have become increasingly important indicators of college readiness, critical thinking and specialized academic achievement across Texas schools.
For Cypress-area families, the regional championship reinforces the district’s continued investment in advanced academic programs and competitive extracurricular opportunities. It also places local students among the top academic competitors in Texas at a time when statewide academic achievement and workforce preparation remain central topics in public education.
The success reflects years of coaching, preparation and student commitment — often through after-school practices, weekend study sessions and intensive competition schedules that mirror varsity athletics in both rigor and expectation.
The UIL Academic State Meet is scheduled for May 18-19 at The University of Texas at Austin, where CFISD students will compete against the top academic qualifiers from across the state.
For many students, the trip to Austin represents more than a competition. It is an opportunity to showcase the strength of Cypress-area schools on a statewide platform while continuing a tradition of academic excellence that many families in the community take pride in supporting.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.