Youngs Grove students attend TomeCon literacy conference
A group of students from Youngs Grove Elementary School’s Book Club attended Tome Literacy Society’s TomeCon at the University of North Georgia in Gainesville last month.
Students read books from Tome’s It List and competed locally in literacy-based activities. Local winners were then entered in the national competition. Youngs Grove student Marianne Truitt won first place in the Book Trailer video competition, while Emilee Lewis competed at the event in the Book Talk Public Speaking Competition and placed third.
Students also participated in a variety of sessions taught by some of their favorite authors. New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz was the keynote speaker. Gratz is the author of 17 novels for young readers, including “Projekt 1065,” “Refugee,” and “Prisoner B-3087.” Geoff Rodkey appeared virtually from his home in New York. Rodkey has been the screenwriter for Eddie Murphy’s “Daddy Day Care,” Disney’s “The Shaggy Dog” with Tim Allen, and many others. His novels for children include “We’re Not From Here” and Kevin Hart’s “Marcus Makes a Movie.”
Students also enjoyed learning from McCall Hoyle, author of “Stella,” Kate Hannigan, author of “Cape,” Leslie Lutz, author of “Fractured Tide,” and Shelli Johannes, author of the “Cece Loves Science” series. One of the highlights of the day was having pictures made with the authors as they signed their books and notebooks.
Youngs Grove Book Club members who participated in TomeCon were Emilee Lewis, Naomi McDonald, Marley Burch, Marianne Truitt, Erin Cheeks, Abigail Crawford, Raelyn Popham, Atziry Roblero Perez, Aubrey Smith and Autumn Smith. They were accompanied by Laura Lewis, Tabitha Burch, Erica Payton and Susan Crawford.
Tome Student Literacy Society is a book club for students in grades 3-12. Students in club chapters read and discuss great books, create items to enter in literacy-based competitions, and participate in virtual and in-person literacy events.