Golding Middle School

Golding Middle School proudly hosted the 15th annual Battle of the Books at Golding Middle School, continuing a beloved tradition that encourages reading, teamwork, and a passion for literature.

Battle of the Books challenges student teams to read 20 preselected titles across a range of genres and difficulty levels. Throughout the year, participants work together to prepare for a quiz-style competition that tests their knowledge of the books.

Students are first introduced to the program during visits to the middle school library, where Mrs. Gagnon partners with Courtney Little, youth services librarian from the Cobleskill Community Library, to present an overview of the competition. The program is further supported by Friends of the Library volunteers, who assist with scorekeeping and timing during the event.

In March, participants gathered at the Community Library for mock battles and a t-shirt making activity, building both excitement and team camaraderie ahead of the main competition.

This year’s Battle of the Books featured three teams:

• Cliff Hangers – 1st Place
  Edgar Charbonnel, Lila Phillips, Juliette Davis, Carlos Ullman

• Knight Readers – 2nd Place
  Jonah Dinge, Julian Gagnon, Nathaniel Davis, Connor Santillan

• Basketball Book Besties – 3rd Place
  Aubree Stanton, Lilly Wells, Ximena Tovar, Audrey Sill

Following the competition, all participants enjoyed a pizza party and were awarded prizes, including gift certificates to local businesses and new books—all thanks to the generous support of the Cobleskill Community Library.

The continued success of Battle of the Books highlights the strong partnership between the district and the local library, as well as the enthusiasm and dedication of student readers at Golding Middle School.