Oceanport Wins Battle of the Books

Oceanport's Wolf Hill Reading Unicorns managed a victory by a narrow margin Monday, when they beat out the Spartan Readers of West Long Branch schools in the Battle of the Books held at Betty McElmon School.

The event was the culmination of weeks of reading for students at both schools. To prepare for the event students on either team each read some of the 12 selected books and pooled their knowledge for two rounds of quizzing.

Students had to answer questions about snozzy tea and sails made from pajamas, things they could only know by reading books like The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and The Lost Treasure of Emerald Isle.

There was some praying and some nail biting as it came down to the final score. Both teams had beat out their fellow schoolmates to get to this battleground and they weren't giving up. In the end it was 180 to 170, with the Unicorns on top.

The Unicorns are fourth graders Abby Algieri, Krissy Birdsall, Michael Murphy, Danny Smith and Nyla Winning, led by media specialist Mrs. Risden and reading specialist Kim Rajner.

Media specialist Angel Somers of West Long Branch schools led her Spartan Readers and graciously awarded the Unicorns with gift certificates to Barnes and Noble provided by the West Long Branch Education Foundation.

Both teams showed great sportsmanship and afterwards posed for pictures together and shared ice pops.