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By LORI A. McNEIL, M.B.A., M.Ed.
Each new school year brings
new ac vi es, new programs, new
challenges, and new opportuni es
for learning. Every year, students in
third through twel h grades across
the na on have the chance to
par cipate in a program designed
to increase literacy skills and a love
for reading through goal se ng and
interac ve compe ons with peers.
America’s Ba le of the Books
was created to off er learning and
comprehension of specifi c books
through social learning, interac-
on through games, and mutual
respect. Volunteer educators and
librarians operate this organiza on,
which is membership-based. Amer-
ica’s Ba le of the Books has been in
opera on for over 25 years and was
pa erned a er an earlier reading
compe on program, which has
been used in schools for more than
a century.
Four diff erent membership op-
ons give communi es opportuni-
es to compete and par cipate
in as small or large of a group as
needed, and groups can register as
a local school, county, region, dis-
trict, or state. School libraries order
the appropriate book list(s) needed
and students read the books on the
list and keep a journal of important
informa on as they prepare for the
compe on.
Most “ba les” are organized
much like sports teams, complete
with team colors and a mascot! At
the beginning of the daylong com-
pe on students are divided into
teams and as a team they choose
their captain, team colors and
Photo courtesy of OBOB
Oregon Battle of the Books builds better readers
The 2015 Battle of the Books winners in Oregon’s 3-5 division were from
St. Paul Parish School in Eugene.
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mascot. Through the day, these
teams will play against each other
as they answer ques ons about the
books they have read. The winning
team at the end of the day is in-
vited to par cipate in the statewide
ba le, usually held in April or May.
America’s Ba le of the Books
has grown signifi cantly since the
organiza on fi rst started. Accord-
ing to their website, the program
originated in a small rural school
district in Belridge, California. As it
grew beyond Kern County, it was
renamed “America’s Ba le of the
Books.” The program now exists in
every state in the union and is pres-
ently being used on every con nent
but Antarc ca. The organiza on is
working hard to off er the fi rst na-
onal compe on some me in the
next decade.
In Oregon, Ba le of the Books
(OBOB) is sponsored by the Oregon
Associa on of Schools and Librar-
ies. Regional compe ons take
place all over the state with Region
6 (NE Oregon) held next March at
Blue Mountain Community College
in Pendleton. The state compe -
on is held on the Salem campus of
Chemeketa Community College.
Volunteers are always needed
and welcomed. If you’d like to get
involved, visit oboblsta.pbworks.com
for more details or contact the group
by email at oboblsta@gmail.com.
________
Baker City resident Lori McNeil has
been an educator for the past 18
years, teaching all grade levels. Her
recent book, “Charlie’s First Day,”
follows the fi rst day of kindergar-
ten, as Charlie’s class begins learn-
ing how to read.