Downers Grove Magazine | Spotlight
Let the Books be in Your Favor TWO EDUCATORS IGNITE PASSION FOR READING WITH DISTRICT 58 STUDENTS BY JANIS VON KAENEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLINA MENAPACE
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n a digital world of computers, phones and tablets, with Netflix, YouTube and whatever else might be at our fingertips nowadays, it’s getting harder and harder for kids to pick up a book and do some good old- fashioned reading. However, two local teachers led a mission to change just that.
Former Whittier Elementary School sixth-grade teacher Deb Krygeris and current reading specialist Christy Gergits were both inspired by other schools’ reading programs, such as Reading Olympics and Battle of the Books, that made kids excited to pick up a book and read. “We talked about how great it would be to have a program like that,” Krygeris said. “We loved the idea of getting kids to read and talk about books.” So the two took the concept to District 58, rolling out “The Reading Games” in 2013. Since then, it has opened kids’ minds and imaginations, while reaching new reading heights.
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Downers Grove Public Library. Using money raised from T-shirt sales and soliciting local businesses and families, Krygeris and Gergits were able to get The Reading Games off the ground. They even reached out to the authors that were featured on the reading lists for assistance, and many donated items to help promote the program. The Reading Games was a success before the program even took place. When the registration window opened for the first time, Gergits was astounded by the results. “I was flabbergasted at the speed at which teams were signing up,” she said. “Within a matter of hours, we had reached our cap of 95 teams. ... We were hoping for maybe 20 teams.” The second year, it only took an hour before all available Reading Games team spots were filled.
We had 95 teams of eight students that spent several months reading and talking about books
But with the spirited representatives from each school who visited classrooms and talked about the program at school assemblies, coupled with the notices to parents to get involved, the registration turnout exceeded expectations.
The Reading Games is a district-wide event for students from third through eighth grade with teams of up to eight students. The program’s name was inspired “We had 95 teams of eight students by The Hunger Games, a book series written that spent several months reading and by Suzanne Collins that was also made talking about books,” Gergits said. “That, to into a series of films. Its catchy name and me, was the grand prize.” pop-culture buzz contributed to students’ —CHRISTY GERGITS eagerness to participate. To get students It didn’t matter if students had the involved and engaged in the program, Krygeris and Gergits ensured highest number of points or the most team spirit: Gergits was just the reading lists captured students’ interests. happy the students were reading. Krygeris agreed, adding that she wanted the students to fall in love with at least one of the books, “I worked very hard to instill a love of reading in each of and be able to feel and talk confidently about it. Seeing this happen my students,” Krygeris said. “I’m an avid reader of children’s and witnessing the event come to life was much more than the literature—particularly middle-grade literature—so I wanted a creators of The Reading Games expected. reading competition that included books that I knew kids would
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love.” But it wasn’t just a matter of creating a list of books that students would want to read: there was also a lot of collaborative involvement behind the scenes. Krygeris and Gergits spent the entire summer of 2013 formulating the logistics, and were also assisted by the district’s superintendent, liaisons from each of the 13 District 58 schools and the children’s department staff of the
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Krygeris and Gergits were also surprised by the community support for the program. During the school-year, the Downers Grove Public Library had meeting rooms filled with students talking about the books from the program’s reading lists. The library staff made a list of practice questions, and hosted a day for the teams to come in to quiz each other in preparation for competition day. Many local businesses even provided prizes that were awarded to winning teams.
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