Battle of the Books 2024
EPS Elementary Students Engage in Literary Competition
In the spirit of March Madness, the Elkhorn Public Schools elementary schools hosted their own bracket: the Battle of the Books! The district-wide battle took place on April 8, 2024, after school. Sagewood, Spring Ridge, Skyline, and Hillrise Elementary hosted the other schools for the book-based competitions. The 1st and 2nd place winners from each of the competition sites earned medals paid for by the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation! We are proud to be part of this event because it encourages and celebrates reading at our elementary schools!
The Battle of the Books competitions began in the Elkhorn District in the late 1990s, and they continue to be a fun event for our elementary students. Each competition site had a different list of books, including The Tale of Despereaux, Hoot, Among the Hidden, Hatchet, The Lightning Thief, Number the Stars, Because of Winn Dixie, Because of Mr. Terupt, and many other great books!
Robyn Dallegge, Library Media Specialist at Manchester Elementary and district coordinator of Battle of the books, answered a few questions about these exciting literary battles!
- How did you get involved in Battle of the Books? How many years have you been helping? I have been a part of Battle of the Books for over 20 years. I was a building sponsor, first at Hillrise and then at Manchester for a long time. For the past several years, I have been the district coordinator of Battle of the Books.
- How do students get chosen for this event and how do they prepare for this competition? Battle of the Books is offered to all 4th and 5th-grade students in each elementary building, and students choose if they want to participate or not. Students form 4-member teams and attend monthly meetings from September – March. Each month, they read one title (from a prescribed list) and practice for the end-of-the-year competitions. They have to be able to answer questions about events from the books.
- What is your favorite part of this event? While the competition motivates students, my favorite part of Battle of the Books is that students are exposed to a wide variety of book titles and genres. They get to enjoy books they might not have chosen to read on their own.
- What is the benefit this event provides for students? Battle of the Books helps students develop reading fluency and comprehension skills. It also helps them build confidence in their reading and develop the habit of reading for enjoyment.
- Anything else you would like to share? As the district continues adding elementary schools, elementary librarians and teachers have prioritized Battle of the Books (with financial help from the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation).
1st Place Manchester Winners
