Record Attendance At Calaveras County Battle Of The Books

4th/5th Grade Overall Winners – Mysterious Muggles from Albert Michelson Elementary

Calaveras, CA– A record 133 students from eight schools across Calaveras County competed recently in the seventh annual Battle of the Books, a reading competition hosted by the Calaveras County Office of Education.

The event featured 24 teams divided into two grade-level brackets, with 16 teams in the fourth and fifth grade division and eight teams in the sixth through eighth grade division. Students spent months preparing by reading from a curated book list and practicing as teams to identify titles and authors based on clues from the books.

Fourth and fifth grade teams represented Albert Michelson Elementary, Copperopolis Elementary, Hazel Fischer Elementary, Jenny Lind Elementary, Mark Twain Elementary and Mountain Oaks School. Middle school teams represented Avery Middle School, Copperopolis Elementary, Mark Twain Elementary, Mokelumne Hill Elementary and Mountain Oaks School. Students competed in two challenges, the Relay Challenge and Family Feud. Multiple ties occurred in both divisions.

In the fourth and fifth grade division, the Relay Challenge ended in a two-way tie between Million Dollar Reader$ from Copperopolis Elementary and Mighty Oaks from Mountain Oaks School. The Family Feud competition also resulted in a two-way tie between Mysterious Muggles from Albert Michelson Elementary and The Bookvengers from Hazel Fischer Elementary. Mysterious Muggles from Albert Michelson Elementary won the overall fourth and fifth grade trophy based on combined points. Team members were Dylan Shinn, Sienna Hill, Miriam Cook, Elliot Phelps, Savannah Guzzetta and Donovan Hamanaka.

In the sixth through eighth grade division, the Relay Challenge ended in a four-way tie among The Bookwinners, Bomb Squad and Special Circumstances from Avery Middle School, and Soaring Eagles from Mountain Oaks School. The Family Feud competition resulted in a tie between The Bookwinners and Bomb Squad, both from Avery Middle School.

The overall middle school trophy resulted in a two-way tie between The Bookwinners and Bomb Squad, both from Avery Middle School. The Bookwinners team included Zain Jardine, Morgan Nelson, Lilly Beckman, Greta Christian, Drew Betts and Madeline Kushner. Bomb Squad team members were Ada Moore, Ruby Hettema, Ruby Beckman, River Hessels, Anderson Christian and Liam Hayward.

Calaveras County Superintendent of Schools Jared Hungerford welcomed students, led the Pledge of Allegiance and served as both a Relay Challenge judge and a Family Feud reader and judge. “Battle of the Books is a powerful reminder of what happens when students are excited about reading and learning,” Hungerford said. “The teamwork, preparation, and enthusiasm on display were outstanding, and it was an honor to be part of an event that celebrates academic achievement across our county.”