Students and coaches from each Liberty County school that participated in the 2010-11 Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl were recognized during the “Good News” segment of the April 14 Liberty County Board of Education meeting. All of the elementary, middle and high schools in Liberty County entered student teams in the county-level bowls. Elementary- and middle-school teams prepared for the bowl by reading books from the Georgia Children’s Book Award list of nominees for 2010-11. High-school teams prepared by reading books nominated for the Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers.
The first- and second-place county bowl winners advanced to the Southern Region Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl. Joseph Martin Elementary, Waldo Pafford Elementary, Lewis Frasier Middle, Midway Middle, Liberty County High and Bradwell Institute advanced to the Southern Regional Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl hosted by Valdosta State University.
Facing tougher competition at the regional level, only Joseph Martin Elementary, Midway Middle and Liberty County High School advanced to the Division II Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl hosted by Southeast Bulloch High School.
In addition to Liberty County, the division-level bowl included participation from Camden, Athens-Clarke, Houston, Jackson, Monroe, Montgomery and Rabun counties. Schools earned the right to attend by winning at their regional-level bowls. At the conclusion of the bowl, Midway Middle and Liberty County High School were recognized for participation, and Joseph Martin Elementary earned second place. Only the first-place teams advanced to the Georgia Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl.
In 2007, Liberty County High School and Joseph Martin Elementary advanced to the state-level bowl.
Although the bowls are over for the year, students around the county already are preparing for next year’s competitions, school officials said.
The schools ordered several copies of each book so the students could begin to read from the new lists.