The Silver Stars competed in the Miss Dance and Drill Team Texas at C.E. King High School on Feb. 21, earning multiple top finishes and the title of Overall State Grand Champions.

Because dance and drill teams are not recognized by UIL, teams like the Silver Stars rely on contest companies to provide competition opportunities. This year’s team prepared well, placing first in five of the six dances they performed. 

The girls competed in the medium classification, where they earned Overall First Place for all medium teams and officer groups. The Silver Stars also outscored every other team at the competition, regardless of size, which earned them the title of Overall State Grand Champions.

Senior Caroline Martin, who has been on the team all four years of high school, said the win was especially meaningful after the team’s busy schedule. 

“We practice every single day after school from 3:05 to 5 p.m., and four hours during block days,” Martin said. “We do a lot of stamina work and focus on our facials and making sure our dances are clean.”

Martin performed in five routines, including team jazz, team lyrical, team novelty, a social officer dance and her solo. The team also had to quickly adjust formations when a dancer was absent, requiring younger dancers to step in. 

“The freshmen were able to pick up and fill in,” Martin said. “When we found out we won, it was just really exciting.”

One of Martin’s favorite moments was watching sophomore Maddie Oefner and senior Olivia Horton earn solo titles during the competition. Oefner also competed in five dances – team jazz, lyrical, novelty, her solo and a sophomore ensemble. After transferring to Kingwood Park her freshman year, this is Oefner’s first year on the team. Despite it being her first year on the team, Oefner won her solo, adding to the team’s overall success. 

“After we danced we got to see all of our parents and everyone was cheering us on from the audience,” Oefner said. “Getting congratulated by everyone was really nice.”