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Elementary Students Compete in Chesco Reading Olympics
Elementary Students Compete in Chesco Reading Olympics
West Chester Area School District elementary school students recently competed in the Chester County Reading Olympics. The Chester County Reading Olympics is a countywide reading event held annually that helps students improve their reading comprehension skills by increasing the quality and quantity of books they read for enjoyment. The event also creates an opportunity for peer-to-peer interaction among the nearly 2,400 students who participate from across the region.
The competition is open to students in elementary, middle, and high school. Teams of 8 to 15 students are formed and must read a total of 45 books from a pre-selected list developed by librarians and reading specialists. Students have the summer and first half of the school year to read the books. “In the beginning, I let the students select any of the 45 books they want to read,” said Terri Rook, librarian at Glen Acres Elementary School. “As the weeks go on, we use a spreadsheet to figure out which books haven’t been selected or read yet, or have only been read by one person. This process allows students to choose which books they would prefer to read, which helps make reading during free time even more enjoyable.”
Each spring, teams from across the county come together and answer questions about the books they read at the Reading Olympics. Over the course of three rounds, teams accumulate points for every correct answer they provide. Teams are given blue, red, or white ribbons based upon the number of points they have earned. Volunteers from area schools serve as moderators and scorekeepers.
The following librarians and volunteers helped coordinate their elementary school’s participation in the 2016 Chester County Reading Olympics: Nora Congialdi, Dr. Mercurio, Jen Johnson, Elizabeth Gallagher, and Eileen Hutchinson (East Bradford); Matt Bloom (Fern Hill); Terri Rook (Glen Acres); Cheryl Chaborek (Mary C. Howse); and Joanne Ruse (Penn Wood).
Click here for more information on the Chester County Reading Olympics.
This article was prepared by Elyse Kistler, intern in the West Chester Area School District’s Communications Office. For more information, please contact Ms. Tracey Dukert, Digital Communications Coordinator, West Chester Area School District at 484-266-1170 or tdukert@wcasd.net.