Reading competition is not a well known club in the school, and it’s not a club where people have to practice everyday. It is a club that requires the club members to read assigned books when they have time and then go to the competition against other schools.

This club takes place during the beginning of the school year. Justina McCaulley is the reading competition advisor, but it was Wanda Vanish before she went to the high school to teach.

McCaulley tries to read most of the books with the club, but it is hard because there are around 30 to 31 books every year, and McCaulley is the only teacher that runs the club. However, when the club goes to the competition, two other teachers come with her as a chaperone as a score keeper and as a moderator. 

Justina agreed that it is hard getting students to join. The most participants she got this year was nine.  There were more students at the start of the year, but unfortunately some had to drop out. She would normally get more than nine kids but since Covid-19, the number of kids that join has dropped.

McCaulley doesn’t like when kids drop out because it’s an academic club. Plus, it looks good on applications, but she understands that it can interfere with fall sports. If there was anything McCaulley could change about the club, it would be how many students sign up. 

“I like when I get bigger groups because then everyone doesn’t have to read tons of books!” said McCaulley.

I checked in with another member of the club eighth grader Yu’Nazia Reeves. 

Reeves said, “Ms. McCaulley did an excellent job preparing us for the competition, and she enjoyed having her as the advisor.”

She loves getting the kids to read!