Congratulations to the 2020 Knox County Battle of the Books Team Champions, Twin Oak Elementary School and this year’s second place team, Columbia Elementary School.
The year-long reading competition, open to teams of Knox County fifth graders, is sponsored by Central Ohio Technical College, Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County and Friends of the Library.
This year’s “virtual” team competition may not have been held in the usual fashion—no large audiences in the auditorium cheering on teams, no team holding its collective breath waiting to see if their competing team across the stage can remember the correct book title or author. But, the dedication and hard work put in by the teams in hopes of taking home the championship title was the same.
“It was an interesting experience doing a virtual competition,” said Marilyn Chidester, KCBOB co-coordinator and retired library aide. “There were some glitches, but generally it went well and I think fun was had by all.”
Over a two week period, eight teams were each given the same 88 questions—one from each of the 88 books selected for this year’s competition. One team of six students played each day. If there were more than six students on a team the coach would switch players in and out at the end of a round. There were 4 rounds 22 questions each of 30 easy, 30 medium and 28 more difficult questions.
Chidester read the questions to each team. Scores for correct author and book given were kept by Sharon Tharp, KCBOB co-coordinator and St. Vincent library media specialist/science teacher. Christine Hohman, served as timer for each round.
Other teams in the competition were: Centerburg Elementary, St Vincent de Paul Elementary, Dan Emmett Elementary, East Elementary, Pleasant Street Elementary and Wiggin Street Elementary.
The top two teams received gift certificate prizes from Paragraphs Bookstore. All team members received a gift bag from Mount Vernon Wendy’s, Mortellaro McDonald’s, COTC, FOL and PLMVKC,
and received a team pizza party from Russ Mentzer-Domino’s.
Twin Oak Elementary First Place Team: Dede Burcham, Natasha Jose (Captain), Reece Moyer, Megan Packard, Morgan Statler, Cooper Swanson, Aaron Yeager, Coaches Humphrey/Bradley
Columbia Elementary Second Place Team: Joslin Fraser, Bryson Shellenbarger, Jonathan Green, Jackson Ross, Ella Kennedy, Gabby Beck, Trenten Atherton, Coaches Mussard/Fraser
Dan Emmett Elementary Team: Madilyn Blubaugh, Karsyn Clutter (Captain), Ella Maddux, Addison Minder, Nate Evans, Hailey O’Dell, Emma Wilson, Coach White
East Elementary Team: Kingston Clinedinst, Nathan Hofferberth, Aurora McKee (Captain), Amanda Misarti, Kate Oswalt, Jocelyn Scarbury, Hannah Vanderhoof, Mae Wiley, Coach Gentry
Centerburg Elementary Team: Avery Murray, Tesla Blankenship, Luke Pack (Captain), Brody Andrews, Coaches Morgan/Lawrence
Pleasant Street Elementary Team: Jaelyn Bookhamer, Quinton Elkins, Carsten Hahn (Captain), Lucy Kingsbury, Anna Miller, Victor Miller, Lizzie Shull, Carter Sowul, Coaches Harris/Mahan
St. Vincent de Paul Elementary Team: Zachary Clinedinst, Logan Daubenmier, Lucas Holland, Owen Petrie, Reighlee Richert, Julie Stabile, Kierra White (Captain), Coaches Phillippi/Duston
Wiggin Street Elementary Team: Lila Ackley, Nic Pechon-Elkins, Archie Meyer, Amelia O’Meara (Co-Captain), Molly Taylor, Dylan Tiffany (Co-Captain), Ryder Witt, Coaches Lambert/Stetler.
For more information call the main library at 740-392-BOOK (2665) or email Battle@knox.net.
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