BW Readers Finish Strong First Semester

The freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are all past the half-way point to one million pages for the 2013-2014 school year!  This year, the BW English Department challenged the class of 2014, the class of 2015, the class of 2016, and the class of 2017 to each read one million pages of pleasure reading.  In the third triad, the freshmen, juniors, and seniors all read more pages than they did during the second triad. 

At the end of the first semester, the freshman class has read the most total pages, with 706,949 pages of pleasure reading—more than 70% of one million pages in just half the year!  The freshmen read 272,398 pages in just the third triad—their best triad so far.  That’s an average of 439 pages per freshman during the third triad.

These freshman classes read the most pages per student during the third triad:

Mrs. Hunter, fourth hour:  1033 pages per student

Mrs. Hunter, fifth hour:  867 pages per student

Mrs. Thurnau, sixth hour:  843 pages per student

Mrs. Thurnau, first hour:  813 pages per student

Mrs. Thurnau, fifth hour:  741 pages per student

Ms. Ursani, second hour:   645 pages per student

Ms. Ursani, fifth hour:  628 pages per student

Ms. Ursani, sixth hour:  568 pages per student

At the end of the first semester, the junior class has moved into second place, with 605,880 pages of pleasure reading—more than 60% of one million pages in just half the year!  The juniors read 239,438 pages in just the third triad (an increase of 30,000 pages over their second triad number).  That’s an average of 507 pages per junior during the third triad—the best per student average of any class.

These junior classes read the most pages per student during the third triad:

Mr. Brunner, fifth hour:  1048 pages per student

Ms. Day, fourth hour:  804 pages per student

Mr. Brunner, sixth hour:  796 pages per student

Mr. Spriggs, third hour:  679 pages per student

Ms. Sage, seventh hour:  647 pages per student

Mr. Brunner, first hour:  590 pages per student

Mr. Spriggs, fifth hour:  562 pages per student

Ms. Sage, first hour:   546 pages per student

At the end of the first semester, the senior class is in third place, with 584,456 pages of pleasure reading.  The seniors read 236,688 pages in just the third triad (an increase of 25,000 pages over their second triad number).  That’s an average of 497 pages per senior in the third triad.

These senior classes read the most pages per student during the third triad:

Mr. Brunner, first hour:  2331 pages per student*

Mr. Lodle, fifth hour:  731 pages per student

Mr. Reidelberger, seventh hour:  654 pages per student

Mr. Lodle, sixth hour:  547 pages per student

Mr. Schobert, fifth hour:   538 pages per student

Ms. Day, second hour:  416 pages per student

Mr. Reidelberger, sixth hour:   413 pages per student

Mr. Jenkins, seventh hour:  385 pages per student

*  This is the highest average per student for all four grades.  Outstanding!

At the end of the first semester, the sophomore class has dropped to fourth place, with 581,249 pages of pleasure reading.  The sophomores read 212,753 pages in just the third triad (a decrease of 4,000 pages from their second triad number).  The sophomores read an average of 365 pages per sophomore in the third triad.

These sophomore classes read the most pages per student during the third triad:

Mrs. Spriggs, fifth hour:  817 pages per student

Mr. Reidelberger, third hour:  792 pages per student

Mrs. Spriggs, second hour:  685 pages per student

Mrs. Spriggs, sixth hour:  683 pages per student

Mr. Reidelberger, fourth hour:  519 pages per student

Mr. Johnson, fourth hour:  499 pages per student

Mr. Johnson, fifth hour:  493 pages per student

Mrs. Lewis, fourth hour:  427 pages per student

During the third triad, the BW English teachers read 12,860 pages, an average of 643 pages per English teacher.

Can the freshmen maintain their overall lead as we move into second semester?  Can the seniors overtake the juniors?  Can the sophomores regain a spot closer to the top?

Keep reading over your winter break!

Author Cole Gibsen Visits West

Young adult author Cole Gibsen met with students in the BW Library on Monday, December 9.  The author of Breathless and the Katana series discussed her experiences as a student, her approach to writing, the inspiration for her books, and the process of getting her work published.

Students enrolled in Creative Writing and Journalism also had the opportunity to ask Gibsen questions.  The author visit was sponsored by Page One, the Belleville West literary and art magazine.

Page One Sponsors Author Visit

Page One, the Belleville West literary magazine, will sponsor a visit with author Cole Gibsen on Friday, December 6.  Gibsen, a resident of southern Illinois, is the author of the young adult novels Breathless, Katana, Senshi, and the upcoming Shinobi.  Gibsen will speak to students in the BW Library during second hour on December 6.