Elementary school students across Lenoir County rallied at Teachers Memorial School Friday for a competition strategically centered on academic warfare.
They call it: Elementary Battle of the Books.
A team from each local elementary school faced off in nine rounds of the question-based contest in Teachers Memorial classrooms.
“The biggest thing is that it motivates students to read,” said Charles White, EBOB coordinator. “You don’t have to be a super, super reader in order to participate. … All you have to have is a love for reading, and that’s really what’s it’s all about.”
North Carolina Schools Library Association sponsored the statewide initiative, choosing 14 additional books for the fourth and fifth grade students. Reading lists were distributed to teachers this summer, and most teams were chosen by January.
Melanie McCoy, EBOB coach of Northeast Elementary School, said her group began in September and withered down to a group of four based on participation and behavior.
“As long as they have a good time, that’s all that matters,” McCoy said. “I really wish we had a bigger group to take some of the pressure off of them.”
Twelve is the team maximum, but White said there are usually between six and 12 players in each group.
Because the elementary schools started its version of Battle of the Books only five years ago — the middle schools host the original — there is only a district-level contest.
White said students who participated in the elementary school BOB have been players on middle school teams.
“That motivation is there, win or lose,” he said. “They have such a good time when they’re out here.”
Souvik Roychowdhury, 10, sat with his Northwest Elementary School team Friday after competing in Round 8 of the competition.
“It’s good (and) lots of fun,” he said. “So far, we’re doing not bad at all.”
The fifth grader added, “I believe my favorite book would be ‘Blood on the River in Jamestown,’ 1607 by Elisa Carbone.”
Michayla Dove, a 10 year-old Northeast student, said her favorite book was “Found,” because it was about a young orphan searching for his biological parents.
“I got to read interesting books that I really liked,” she said. “I was happy about (Battle of the Books).”
Dove said the competition challenged her level of reading, making her and the team work harder for what she hoped would be first or second place results.
“They’re always excited,” said Ryan Gardner, a third-year moderator and South Lenoir High School teacher. “It’s very refreshing as a high school teacher to see how excited these kids are about learning and showing what they’ve learned.”
He said the judges can always tell what the favorite book in the bunch was when all students eagerly want to answer the question about it.
Aside from the competitive spirit the EBOB warrants, parents and teachers in attendance said student reading will improve as a result.
“It helps them have a better comprehension when they read,” said Stephanie Jarman, mother of Southwood Elementary School student Cassidy Jarman, 11. “Otherwise, I don’t think they would read as many books.”
Cassidy’s father, John Jarman, said her reading has progressed since she tackled 14 additional books this school year.
Northeast reading teacher LaToyha Polk said reading scores should increase drastically this year.
“I feel like the competition is very beneficial to the fluency and development of reading,” said Polk, who attended her first EBOB Friday. “The students are getting to use their interpersonal skills. I think it’s a good competition.”
Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.
2013 Elementary Battle of the Books Winners:
La Grange — 119 points
Banks — 113 points
Southwood — 107 points
Pink Hill — 104 points
Northwest — 99 points