(03/01/2024) A team from Roosevelt Middle School (RMS) proudly held the Battle of the Books traveling trophy Feb. 29 at the Anoka-Hennepin Educational Service Center, as the annual competition challenges middle school students to prove their knowledge and understanding of literature.

How it works: Teams of students first compete within their middle school community, with the winners advancing to a district-level Battle of the Books competition. The annual competition promotes reading and comprehension of literature in a fun and engaging format. A total of 19 teams representing all six middle schools battled to prove they learned key concepts from 25 books chosen for this year’s competition.

The champions: The winning team, who chose the name of “Book-a-teers,” was Hazel Schmitt, Sydney Schlichting and Siena Zaiser. The Battle of the Books coordinator at RMS is Jodi Blair, a sixth grade teacher. View photos from the competition on Feb. 29. Watch a replay of the 2024 Battle of the Books. 

What they’re saying: "This competition was really fun and I made some friendships along the way,” Schmitt said. “It made me read a lot more books than usual." 

"I thought it was really fun and everyone was being really nice to each other,” Schmitt said.

"I thought the competition was really nice and everyone was really friendly,” Zaiser. “Everyone was kind and there were good vibes."

Participating schools:

• Anoka Middle School for the Arts.
• Coon Rapids Middle School.
• Jackson Middle School - A Specialty School for Math and Science.
• Northdale Middle School.
• Oak View Middle School.
• Roosevelt Middle School.

Thanks to the sponsors: Battle of the Books was sponsored by the Anoka-Hennepin Educational Foundation, Coon Rapids Rotary Club, MidWestOne Bank and Border Bank.

Congratulations to all participants on a successful competition.