SAN ANTONIO – You are never too young to create change. That was the message from the CAST Schools’ 8th annual Speak Up Speak Out Civics Fair.
500 middle and high school students headed to Our Lady of the Lake University Friday to pitch their well-researched ideas on how to make San Antonio a better place.
Some of the many topics chosen included mental health, CPR education, women’s health, homelessness, and green space.
Students learned how to identify problems, work together as a team, present authentic research, and work with subject matter experts.
Judges weighed in and asked specific, practical questions.
One judge questioned a group of girls about money, “You said $1,000, so where do you get that funding?”
Another judge gave advice on presentation energy, he said, “Interweave your passion and the part of you that made it important to you about the project.”
When judging concluded, the middle and high school winners were chosen.
Aiden Farr and Elias Daniel from Randolph High School won the high school first place award for their presentation on flooding.
“2025 on June 14th there was that flood on Beitel Road that unfortunately killed 13 people. That struck home for me, it’s right next to my house,” Daniel said.
They both went searching for a solution.
“Prevention through awareness,” Daniel said. “Through Facebook ads.”
They designed and created mock ads that could run on social media where they said they’d get the most engagement.
Farr said they joined the competition late in the game.
“The few days before, we actually almost gave up because we were so behind,” Farr said.
Farr had a message to other kids doing something difficult, “Keep trying. You could get first place!”
The 12-year-old middle school winners were Connor Loudenback and Brayden Callaway from La Vernia.
La Vernia swept first, second and third place at the middle school level and it was the first year the school decided to compete.
The winning team chose recycling as their topic.
“At my house I recycle all the time, but in school there is no recycling. And I don’t see it ever at public events and stuff,” Loudenback said.
“We should maybe have like a city council meeting to place a smaller recycling center somewhere because we have a lot of land and maybe have some recycling bins. Put recycling bins in the schools too,” Callaway said.
The boys said they were shocked to win but are thrilled.
“I get bragging rights,” Callaway laughed.
The top 10 high school and middle school teams will now head to the state competition at UT Austin where the winners will receive grant money to to make their ideas a reality.
Read also: