On Wednesday, November 13th, the Warrior Reading Team (otherwise known as the West Branch Bookworms), competed in a competition at Philipsburg Osceola Middle School. They placed 3rd out of 10 teams with 31 points. They beat the State College Spinebackers and the Young Scholars of Central PA Nerd Alerts, in rounds 1 and 3. In round 2, they tied with the Curwensville Luminescents to make their record 2-0-1 in the normal rounds.

The students were required to read 19 books and four short stories within a two- to three-month period leading up to the competition. During the event, they were asked a series of questions about the books to earn points. They had to rely solely on their memory, as they were not allowed to consult the books, notes, or any other materials. The students also participated in a game called “Goose Chase,” an online scavenger hunt where they competed to earn the most points and win the Golden Goose Award. Despite their efforts, the West Branch Bookworms fell short of accumulating enough points to claim the award.

The Bookworms were a combination of West Branch Middle School and High School students, with eight competing players and two alternates. The team consisted of Ashleigha Grossi (President/team captain), Sophia Biggins (Vice President), Kayla Gilbert (Treasurer), Shalee Hoover (Secretary), Hannah Gay, Gerika Arnold, Alexis McDowell, Chloe Staley, Madelynn Stiner, and Lily Stine. The overall leader and coach of the team was Mrs. Stacy Ricciotti, who allowed the team to work hard and practice for the competition. Mrs. Crystal Gay (High School chemistry teacher) and Mary Jo Seprish were both moderators who asked questions for the other teams, but weren’t allowed to be involved in rounds with West Branch. The team held three practices after school where they practiced and got to know each other and practiced reading competition style questions.

Gay commented, “Mrs. Ricciotti and the team leaders did a wonderful job preparing the team for this competition. It is truly impressive to see how much work goes into this competition. As a teacher and parent able to observe the process, our West Branch team members amazed me with their dedication to the competition and team, as well as, poise in that moment.” Grossi, the president of the team stated, “My overall experience was amazing, especially when I was connecting with new people within the school.”