Along with other campuses throughout Ector County Independent School District, Cavazos Elementary School students on Thursday prepared for the district wide Battle of the Bluebonnets by answering questions about Texas Bluebonnet Award-winning books they had read.
Questions displayed on a large screen were read by Instructional Technology Specialist Wendy Boatright. Students answered them with clickers and the winning team will represent the school at the main event, set for 10 a.m. Feb. 24 in the ICA Gym at the Sports Center at Odessa College.
Third through fifth-grade students are divided into teams of six for the contest, which is like a quiz show where youngsters have a certain amount of time before clicking in with their answer.
This is the seventh annual battle and it will feature all 28 elementary campuses.
Cavazos Principal Maribel Aranda said this is only the third year her school has participated.
“I think some of them really like the competition part of it,” Aranda said. She added that the contest gives students a chance to read books they might not normally consider.
About 18 children participated in Thursday’s battle.
Eduardo Alvarado, 11, was on the winning team that will represent Cavazos later this month.
Alvarado said he didn’t think the team was going to win because they were kind of iffy about their answers. His fellow team members said they would be preparing for the next step by reading as many Bluebonnet books as they can.
Boatright and other district personnel have been going across the district, where requested, to conduct the battles.
“They took directions very well,” Boatright said. “They scored very well on their campus battle. We’re not finished by any means with all our other campuses, but they’re looking good.”
She added that it’s fun to conduct the campus events.
“I’m a former reading teacher. Anything with books I love that. You love seeing the excitement on their faces when you can see that they got the answer right. Thinking back, you can see them start to remember the books and it’s just it’s awesome to watch,” Boatright said.
Elva Hernandez, mother of fifth-grader Carlos Carrillo, was one of several parents attending the campus battle. She said this was the first time she had gone to one.
“It’s pretty awesome for the kids. It makes them read more,” Hernandez said.
She added that she is impressed by how much the students knew and plans to attend the district wide meet.
