In a strong showing of literary knowledge, Hobbton Elementary students clinched victory for the second consecutive year in the Sampson County Schools' Elementary School District Battle of the Books competition on Thursday, February 27, 2025. The triumphant team, consisting of Aniston Allen, Braxton Allen, Harper Britt, Emerson Johnson, Ansley McLamb, and Luke Simmons, will now advance to the Regional competition on Thursday, April 10, at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
SCS Superintendent Jamie King praised the dedication of all participants, stating, "All the coaches and their students are to be commended for their hard work, and for representing their schools so well. We wish the Hobbton teams the very best as they advance to the regional competition."
In an impressive feat, the Hobbton district will be doubly represented at the regional level, with both Hobbton Elementary and Hobbton Middle securing victories in their respective battle competitions1. This marks the second year in a row that the Hobbton district has demonstrated such exceptional performance.
The Battle of the Books, sponsored by the North Carolina School Library Media Association, is a quiz-bowl-style competition for students in grades 3 through 8. This year, participants tackled a challenging list of 16 titles, showcasing their comprehensive knowledge and passion for literature.
The competition, hosted by Midway High School, featured eight teams and over 70 students from area districts. All SCS elementary schools participated, with Plain View Elementary securing an impressive 2nd place finish, followed closely by Clement Elementary in 3rd place.
Plain View put up a tough battle with team members Lilyanna Cervera, Iris Chen, Taylor Gibson, Joseph Godwin, Brayden Reece, Grace Reiling, Jackson Seals, and Leighton Tart, coached by Alison Ray.
Clement's talented squad members are Kamiyah Giddens, Faith House, Quinn Jackson, Brantley Matthews, Elian Resendiz Garcia, Emma Ryther, Carter Spell, Gavin Velazquez, Eryn Williams, and Jay Wilson, under the guidance of coaches Christy Bullard and Emma Clark.
Here's a complete list of the elementary schools and their team members:
Hargrove Elementary - Hadley Alderman, Emma Aman, Brithany Flores-Donaire, Zamir Garcia, Ethan Gonzalez, Camila Hernandez, Isabelle Hernandez, Mia Padilla, Yuliana Patlan, Aubrey Simmons, and Harper Townsend, The coaches are Lauren Strickland and Keith Coleman.
Midway Elementary - Alexander Bass, Lennox Bell, Aubrey Honeycutt, Brody Jackson, Brianna Lewis, Xenia Locklear, Lily Peterson, Jonathan Ramirez, Jax Smith, Liam Stroud, Payton Tyndall, and Joseph Valley. The coaches are Charis Shattuck and Lisa Pincus.
Roseboro Elementary - Amillya Best, Tyanna Boone, Raven Blue, Paxton Gersch, Terrelyn Myers, Sofia Olivares Becerra, Ty'Rihanna Taylor, and Elias Lopez Trujillo. The coaches are Janie Matthis and Melissa Johnson.
Salemburg Elementary - Sergeant Agostini, Londyn Lattimore, Skylar Lee, Areli Martinez, Ethan McLamb, and Braylynn Powell. The coaches are Edward Zigmont and Terra Rouse.
Union Intermediate - Taylor Alford, Mary Blackburn, Samarial Carr, Eryn Chestnutt, Kaylee Cruz, Juliette De Leon, Monserrat Gonzalez, Aynslee Gurley, Damian Lopez, Taylor Pope, Sergio Sanchez Alvarado, and Valencia Stringfield. The coaches are Heather Hallman and Blake Miller.
As Hobbton Elementary prepares for the regional showdown, the entire Sampson County community rallies behind these young literary champions, eager to see them continue their remarkable journey in the world of competitive reading.
Plain View team
Clement team
Hargrove team
Midway team
Roseboro team
Salemburg team
Union Intermediate team