Brooke Grove Elementary Students Double Down on Literacy at School’s Annual ‘Clash of the Readers’ Competition

Brooke Grove Elementary School held its annual “Clash of the Readers” competition, bringing together fourth and fifth-grade students for an evening focused on literacy and teamwork. The event featured a quiz-style format where students answered questions based on a pre-selected list of books. 

The program saw a significant increase in engagement this year, more than doubling its participation from 40 students during the 2024–2025 school year to 82 participants this year. This growth also extended to staff and volunteer support.

Principal Travis Payne noted that the surge in interest was driven largely by the students themselves.

“After last year's event, we celebrated publicly during the school day with pictures and recognition,” Payne said. “Through sharing positive experiences and student excitement, students recruited other students to join this year. Along with that, we were able to have 12 teachers and 3 parents/family members commit to supporting groups because students showed such an interest in wanting to read and participate.”

The competition required students to master a diverse reading list that included novels, graphic novels and informational texts from A Dog’s Life to Matilda. According to school officials, every participant read at least one book from the list, while each team had at least one member who completed all eight titles.

During the event, teams entered the gymnasium to selected music, showcasing team spirit before a crowd of families, teachers and community members. The competition remained close throughout the evening, with the "Reading Rockets" ultimately taking first place. They secured the win by a single point over the runners-up, the "Dragon Dreamer Readers."

Looking ahead, Brooke Grove leadership expressed an interest in expanding the program to other schools within the Sherwood Cluster to encourage a broader culture of reading across the district.

Fun Fact:

The "Clash of the Readers" is a local iteration of a program known nationally as "Battle of the Books." The format has deep roots in educational history, originating as a radio program in Chicago during the 1940s to encourage reading comprehension through friendly competition.