Beyond the Book

“Read, read, read.” That is the good advice of William Faulkner, who is considered one of the 20th century’s greatest writers. Acclaimed American author, Stephen King, describes books as “a uniquely portable magic.” Garrison Keillor, long-time host of “A Prairie Home Companion,” calls a book “a gift you can open again and again.” In the 19th century, when slave states passed laws prohibiting the teaching of reading and writing to slaves, abolitionist Frederick Douglass wrote, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

With the goal of encouraging the love of reading among the students in Duplin Schools, the first Beyond the Book competition was held on March 18 at the Ed Emory Auditorium in Kenansville. The room was full of excited students who were finalists among the 900 readers who competed at the local school level. In welcoming remarks, Lindsay Skidmore, director of 6-8 Curriculum and Digital Innovation, set out the purpose of Beyond the Book as “blending literacy with the arts and technology in alignment with the district’s STEAMA focus.” She said, “I am so incredibly proud of our students for their creativity and dedication to bringing books to life in such unique ways. It’s inspiring to see how reading can spark such innovation and enthusiasm.”

Imagine the creativity our students displayed as they competed in these categories. Elementary School students presented their books in three media: From Page to Stage, in which they dressed as characters from the books; A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, in which the students created infographics to express the main ideas; and Recycled Reads, in which the readers used 2-liter soda bottles to create main characters from the books.

Middle School students shared their love of reading in these imaginative ways: Read & Reel, a video presentation; Diorama Drama, in which a scene was represented with three-dimensional figures; and Lyric Lab, through which the students expressed the details of their books through poetry, song, and rap.

I had the honor and responsibility of judging a dozen entries in the category “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.” I was impressed by the students’ imagination and enthusiasm. I also learned a lot about Dog Man, Matilda, Simone Biles, and Misty Copeland, just to name a few of the subjects presented. The students were judged on the originality of their projects as well as their knowledge and presentation of their books. I was inspired by the work of all the students and their obvious passion for reading.

Congratulations to the winners in the first Beyond the Book competition:

Elementary School
From Page to Stage: Katherine Wolfe (North Duplin);
Recycled Reads: Jack Holley (Chinquapin);
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Aubree McKoy (Wallace)

Middle School
Diorama Drama: Bella Cavenaugh (Wallace);
Lyric Lab: Tyler Hall (Chinquapin);
Read & Reel: J.T. Wolfe (North Duplin Jr./Sr. High)

In the words of the beloved Dr. Seuss, “The more that you read, the more things. you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Philip Gladden lives in Wallace and writes on behalf of Duplin County Schools.