Shirley Township Elementary students pose with teachers Trisha Grove and Erin Cornelius and principal Sandra Rickabaugh during the reading competition at Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11.
By LILLIAN BOOKHEIMER | Journalism Student, Mount Union Area Senior High School
Mount Union, Pa. — Students from Shirley Township Elementary recently competed in a reading competition, where the fifth-grade team placed third and the fourth-grade team tied for fourth place. The event included elementary school students from various schools in central Pennsylvania and took place at Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11, a regional educational service agency that meets the needs of public and nonpublic schools, personnel, and students.
There were 19 teams of fourth- and fifth-grade students competing in the event, with all teams competing against each other. To help students prepare for the competition, the school held sessions to help them with the content. Students stayed after school on Fridays to work on genre and author studies. “We were very proud that both our groups of students placed in that category,” said MUASD Gifted and ESL teacher Erin Cornelius.
Reading competitions are important for elementary students because they help encourage a love of reading. “Some students see reading as a chore. Having a reading competition is a fun way to engage students in reading,” Ms. Cornelius said. Building these skills at a young age benefits students, especially in elementary school, because reading helps them become well-rounded and educated individuals.
Students who participated in the event learned skills such as vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency, but they also gained skills in teamwork, encouragement, and confidence.
Ms. Cornelius acknowledges that it can be difficult to get young children excited about reading. “I try to make reading fun. In my teaching position, I’m lucky enough to have some choice with what my students read. Elementary students need material that makes it easier to create a ‘buy-in.’ I try to make connections and have students do the same,” she said.
The students’ strong performance showed the effort they put into preparing for the competition. “We are so proud of these kids. They’re already talking about competing next year,” Ms. Cornelius said.
This article was published as part of Ms. Dimoff’s Journalism class at Mount Union Area Senior High School.
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