Published: May 22, 2009 09:01 pm      

Two schools share 2009 Tom Colley Reading Bee grand prize title

BLUEFIELD, Va. — A love of reading took center stage Friday at Bluefield College as youngsters from eight different schools competed in the annual Tom Colley Reading Bee.

The grand award winners on the fourth grade level were Tazewell Elementary, and students at Springville Elementary took the grand award on the fifth grade level. The annual Reading Bee competition is sponsored by the Bluefield Daily Telegraph and the literacy committee of the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce.

“Teachers, support staff and parents, we are thrilled to continue our sponsorship of the Reading Bee,” Daily Telegraph Managing Editor Samantha Perry said. Perry was joined by Daily Telegraph Publisher Randy Deason and long-time Reading Bee volunteer Eugenia Hancock in awarding the student trophies.

“The Reading Bee is one of the favorite activities of the Tazewell County School Board because children read books, read books and read books,” Sarah Cromer, gifted coordinator for the school system and principal at Raven Elementary, said. “They digest them. Then of course we hope they will be lifelong readers. Reading is one of the most important things you will ever do.”

Formerly known as the Tazewell County Reading Bee, the competition was renamed the Tom Colley Reading Bee in honor of the late executive editor of the Daily Telegraph. Cromer said the unique Reading Bee concept was developed by Colley and the literacy committee members to encourage children to read.

“Tom had a passion for children and reading,” Cromer said. “His dream was to develop the love of reading for a lifetime.”

In the fourth grade competition, Tazewell Elementary captured the comprehension and spelling categories. Graham Intermediate won for impromptu and Springville Elementary won the editing award.

Students at Tazewell Elementary were the grand award winners for the fourth grade competition. The student team included Bailey Boyd, Griffin McAvoy and Tory Patterson and T.J. Kitts.

In the fifth grade competition, Springville Elementary won for comprehension, and Graham Intermediate captured the spelling and impromptu awards. Raven Elementary won for editing.

Students at Springville Elementary were the grand award winners for the fifth grade competition. The student team included Lindsey Dye, Tyler Ball, Ashley Reeves and Hollianne Bone.

– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com