School & District News
Moss Hill Elementary Battle of the Books team
Middle and High school students from across Lenoir County Public Schools put their literary knowledge to the test in the annual Battle of the Books competition held on February 28th. The competition, which challenges students to read and recall details from a set list of books, brought together teams for a day of spirited academic rivalry.
In a stunning upset, Contentnea-Savannah K-8 School emerged as the middle school champion, ending Woodington Middle School’s long-standing winning streak. Meanwhile, in the high school division, South Lenoir High School successfully defended their title for a second consecutive year.
“The students put in an incredible amount of work outside of their normal schoolwork,” South Lenoir’s coach, Ryan Gardner, stated. When asked about the preparation process, he explained, “We spend an hour every week, from basically October to the end of February, running practices.”
South Lenoir's Battle of the Books team
Battle of the Books follows a quiz-bowl format where teams answer questions about books from an assigned reading list. “Some kids try to read as many of them as possible, and then some basically pick a fraction of them and try to become experts on them,” Gardner explained. “Even if they didn’t read certain books, if they hear enough questions from one particular book, it might still trigger themes or certain points that really stand out, and they could still get it.”
As high school champions, South Lenoir will now prepare for regionals, an opportunity that has their students both nervous and excited. “It’s in Wilmington this year, so that’s kind of daunting, because we’ve got to drive so far away to get there,” Gardner noted.
The elementary school competition, held on March 28th, featured strong teams from all nine LCPS elementary schools. In the end, Moss Hill Elementary, with their matching pink tutus, emerged victorious. They will also be competing in the regional Battle of the Books competition.
Coaches Joey Gray and Missy Small were elated when their team won, saying “We are so proud of this year's Battle of the Books team. They worked really hard to read the books and spent time at home, after school, and during their lunchtime practicing and answering questions.”
It’s an extra special win for Small, as her daughter competed on Moss Hill’s team this year. “I have really enjoyed getting to read the books with her and coach her and her friends,” she said.
Beyond the competition, Gardner says Battle of the Books fosters a lifelong love of reading. “The only way people are going to learn or be able to empathize or sympathize—or even just understand other people—is by getting other perspectives. And I feel like the Battle of the Books list provides a variety of perspectives for people that are different from the people they’re around most often.”
With another successful year of competition in the books, Lenoir County students continue to demonstrate their commitment to literacy, teamwork, and academic excellence.