By Kristine Thomas
Only four teams could advance from the regional Oregon’s Battle of the Books competition March 14 in McMinnville to the state competition April 4 at Chemeketa Community College.
Silver Falls School District is sending three of them.
“We dominated the competition,” Robert Frost media specialist Jackie Renoud said.
Bethany Charter School’s team took second place in the Division I competition for third- through fifth-grade students.
In the Division II competition for sixth- through eighth-grade students, Pratum Elementary School’s team earned first place and Robert Frost’s team took second place. Last year, Pratum’s Division I team won the state championship.
The Silver Falls School District was in the Region Two competition with schools from Benton, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties.
Bethany Charter School team members are Natalie Allen, Thomas Buchheit, Elizabeth Fleshman, Dakota Parmley and Madison Westmoreland. Ruth Lal-Rider is their coach.
Dawn Roth coaches Pratum and her team members are Nicole Brandtjen, Riley Johnston, Kaitlin Kuenzi, Hannah Roth and Shannon Ziesemer.
Robert Frost team members are Cole Ballinger, Anders Green, Rachel Stadeli, Valeria Vazquez-Trejo and William Ward. Their coach is Jackie Renoud.
Superintendent Craig Roessler congratulated the teachers and district literacy coach Christy Sander.
They donated many hours of their personal time this past summer and during the school year to prepare for this competition by getting kids to read, Roessler said.
“In addition to the teams listed we had 14 other teams from SFSD schools that were led by teachers dedicated to fostering reading in young people,” Roessler said.
Students prepared for Battle of the Books by reading 16 books on the list for their division. Some schools such as Robert Frost had several teams vying for the spot to go to the regional competition.
Sander said if a student in third through fifth grade read every book on the list it would equal 2,697 pages and for the sixth through ninth graders it would be 4,197 pages.
Renoud said Battle of the Books takes reading from a solitary activity to a group one.
“It brings reading into a level with sports —competition and preparation,” she said. “Books are selected from various genres that stretch kids in ways they may not otherwise choose to read.”
Battle of the Books is about much more than literature, Renoud added.
“You can see the commitment many members make to their teams, reading and rereading books in order to bring their best to the team,” she said.
“They may become friends with or learn to appreciate the skills and abilities others have. It is a great way to teach sportsmanship – successes and failures – and how to handle them. It is an opportunity to be involved in a team activity that doesn’t require physical activity.”
Sander said she was proud of the way all the Silver Falls students presented themselves in the competition.
“They showed great sportsmanship and congratulated the team they lost to and supported the schools who were still in the competition,” Sander said.
Both Bethany Administrative Principal Kathy Frank and Pratum teacher Dawn Roth said their students gave up going to recess in order to practice for the competition.
Renoud said students who participate in their school’s Battle of the Books program gain a new twist to reading – an excitement.
“I hope they come away with a sense of accomplishment, teamwork and a new love for reading,” she said.
And even if a child doesn’t want to participate in a team, Renoud encourages parents to take a look at the list of books for Battle of the Books.
“It can serve as a jumping off point for kids when it comes to choosing a book. Use these books to encourage reading with your child or read aloud to them from the list,” she said. “Just because someone can’t play or chooses not to play doesn’t mean they can’t feel involved in Battle of the Books.”
Sander said she is thankful to the students, teachers and parents for their participation in Battle of the Books.
“I think we have started a new tradition in our district,” she said. “This competition has really taken off.”
For information about Oregon Battle of the Books, visit its Web site at www.oasl.info/OBOB/
