Pasadena, Tx - Pasadena High School’s Calculator Applications team has secured its place among the best in Texas after taking first place in the UIL Region III-5A Academic Meet over the weekend.

The team, made up of Alejandra Gaytan, Jonathan Hernandez, Napoleon Leang, and Julian Navarro earned the top spot in the highly competitive Calculator Applications category. The competition features an engineering-based exam that tests complex mathematical problem-solving using advanced calculators. Their win qualifies them for the UIL State Academic Meet, where they will represent Region III at the University of Texas at Austin.

As one of just five remaining teams statewide, the Eagles will compete for the title of State Champion later this spring. In addition to the honor of advancing, these students are now eligible for scholarships awarded exclusively to UIL state participants through the Texas Interscholastic League Foundation.

Calculator Applications, a competition introduced in the early 1980s to replace the former UIL Slide Rule contest, challenges students in topics such as algebra, geometry, trigonometry and applied mathematics, all under time pressure. While UIL Academics may lack the visual excitement of homeruns, touchdowns, goals, or dunks, there is something just as exhilarating in the quiet sound of students cultivating their minds.

Pasadena ISD congratulates these students and wishes them the best as they prepare for the state meet. Their hard work and dedication exemplify the academic excellence celebrated throughout the district.