This spring, Jennifer Younge and the PHS Pit Crew are holding a Reading Challenge Competition. The contest challenges students from each grade level and staff to read books and eventually win prizes. Contestants have until this Friday, February 12 to submit a book, you can find one of the QR codes from the posters around campus to scan for submission.     

The challenge, originally started by Jennifer Younge, began as an attempt to get PHS students to normalize reading on their own time.  

“Reading is something that Porter students struggle with, and I believe that part of that is because reading is just not seen as something that people normally do,” Younge said. “I wanted to highlight how much reading is done by students and teachers here at Porter.”  

It then developed into a fun and interactive match that eventually included staff and prizes to see which group could read the most. This year, the winning team will receive popcorn at lunch, a Chick-fil-A gift card raffle on Fridays, and a pizza party.

Students and teachers have been reading since January 5. English teacher Sydney Johnson has been reading Once We Were Brothers, a novel by Ronald H. Balson. The book, inspired by true events, tells the tale of two boys who are as close as brothers who find themselves on opposite sides of the Holocaust. 

“I think that reading should be a daily part of our lives,” Johnson said. “We read for 15 minutes in my class every day, so I can join in with my students as they read. The challenge is a fun way to earn prizes and stay motivated while completing our daily reading goal.”  

Junior Alma Hussain also participated in the reading competition. 

“I really enjoyed the reading challenge as it pushed me to get into reading again,” Hussain said. “It is important to read as it widens our vocabulary and helps us to think in new ways.” 

As PHS students come back from spring break, there will be a new and improved structure and prizes.