READERS’ RIVALRY: The CCHS Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Team practiced in the Media Center’s nonfiction room on Nov. 19. The team is currently working on reading books and practicing with questions in preparation for their first competition in February. “We plan on practicing on Friday mornings, and we try to practice in the mornings and (practice) together as much as possible, so the books will be fresh in our minds and we can ask each other questions,” senior Corterra Wright said.
By KATY MAYFIELD – News Writer
Clarke Central High School’s Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl team prepares for the upcoming competition, where it will once again face last season’s rivals: Cedar Shoals High School.
Clarke Central High School’s Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl (HRRB) team had their first practice on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The team first met after reading thirty books from the list of nominees for the Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers, which they will be quizzed on in competition.
Senior Corterra Wright said that the team has seen some changes since last season.
“This year’s team is larger than the previous years,” Wright said. “And we have a lot of new incomers like the freshmen who were actually in (HRRB) in middle school.”
Wright is optimistic that the team’s changes are for the better.
“(The number of added freshmen) actually helps because in previous years we had people who wouldn’t read certain books and we’d be in the dark for a long time,” Wright said. “But when they come in they’ve actually read a large number, so that helps a lot.”
Wright hopes that the team’s new blood will help them to beat the Cedar Shoals High School HRRB team in competition this season, which begins with the regional competition on Feb. 7, 2015.
“It was a rivalry last year. I think they beat us by a couple of points in divisional,” Wright said. “They are really serious, and we’re serious too. I think we have a good chance of beating Cedar this year. This time we’re gonna take it all the way.”
Wright says the team’s strengths will help them to triumph over other more serious teams like CSHS.
“They seem like they could be fun, but they are dead serious about it. Last year people on other teams were crying because we beat them in a round, so it’s serious,” Wright said. “We want to win, but we’re gonna have fun doing it. So that’s gonna take us far.”
