Squiggly Worms wriggle to success in Battle of the Books

I

In the end, it was the Squiggly Worms who wriggled to success at the fifth annual countywide Battle of the Books Thursday, April 20 at the Santa Barbara County Education Office.

More than just another competition, Battle of the Books is a true reading incentive program. Each participating student, in grades 4 to 6, must read 30 books from a pre-selected list.

Two teams composed of six students apiece compete against each other by answering 20 comprehension questions based on those books. The students must agree upon and offer their answers as a group, which emphasizes teamwork rather than individual ability.

Thirty-seven county public schools, ranging from Santa Maria to Carpinteria, each sent a team of about five students, grades 4-6. Once here, the teams re-blended so that no one school competed against another. 

The champion team, the Squiggly Worms, consisted of Trevor Bellefeuille from Hope (Hope), Lacey Kaelani from Mountain View (Goleta), Sabrina Lichtenberg from Peabody (Santa Barbara Elementary), Andie O’Donnell from Foothill (Goleta), Taizsha Robinson from Los Padres (Lompoc), and Lindsey Suarez from Solvang (Solvang).

Finalists, the Tigons team, included. Josh Calvillo from Rice (Santa Maria-Bonita), Bell Demachkie from Summerland (Carpinteria), Daniel Foster and Alex Perez from Ellwood (Goleta), Katie Spieler from Hope (Hope), and Camille Stout from Main (Carpinteria).

The Sportsmanship award went to the Blue Bears, including Sannon Gerow from Peabody (Santa Barbara Elementary), Anke Gladnick from Isla Vista (Goleta), Jacob Sanabia from La Patera (Goleta), Colleen Sweeney from Foothill (Goleta), and Jesse Thompson from Santa Ynez Charter (College).

The Best Shield award was won by the Purple Flying Pigs:  Kathy Delk from Canalino (Carpinteria), Nathan Lively from Crestview (Lompoc), Crystal Lopez from El Camino Middle (Lompoc), Danika Morgan from Montecito (Montecito), Lisa Santry from Roosevelt (Santa Barbara Elementary), and Myles Simpson from Ballard (Ballard).

All 176 students who participated received a certificate and custom-made Battle of the Books bookmark. Each member of the four winning teams received the following prizes:

Champions won a custom-made Battle of the Books t-shirt; autographed book by R.L. LaFevers, guest author; sword pen from R.L. LaFevers; and coupons to the Museum of Natural History. Finalists won a book/activity set, maps, and zoo coupons. Sportsmanship winners received award pins and a book. Best Shield winners also won a book.

“The competition is a wonderful way to help foster a lifelong appreciation of literature.  It’s great to see young people so involved and enthusiastic about reading,” said County Superintendent Bill Cirone, whose office coordinates the program.

Further information is available from Steve Keithley at 964-4710, ext. 5222.