Competing primarily against high schools throughout Texas, Lanier Middle School finished fourth overall in the Small Schools Division in the Texas State German Contest held Feb. 28 at Texas State University.

The competition is open to all Texas high and middle schools that qualify through a regional event. Lanier’s German teacher Niels Nielsen had 33 students qualify for this annual competition.

“We just keep trying,” said Nielsen.

In individual competitions, Lanier students won first place in the German Grammar category, first place in the German Listening Comprehension category, first place in German Reading Comprehension, first place in German Spelling, and first place in the German Vocabulary category. Lanier’s Polka Band won second place, the German Skit groups won third and fifth, the German Puppet Show group won third place, and two students from Lanier made a Gingerbread House, which won a fifth-place trophy.