CHARLOTTE — Students from Catholic schools across the diocese participated in the inaugural St. Jerome Book Battle April 21 at the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools Fine Arts Center in Charlotte. The quiz bowl-style competition is unique to the Diocese of Charlotte and was established by the Catholic Schools Office at the beginning of the 2022-’23 academic year.
Charlotte's St. Ann Catholic School won the fourth- and fifth-grade competition in the finals against Greensboro's Our Lady of Grace Catholic School. Our Lady of Grace won the middle school competition in the finals against Charlotte's Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School.
“In the age of overemphasis on technology and the digital, it’s wonderful to be able to prioritize timeless good and great books through our St. Jerome Book Battle,” said Dr. Gregory Monroe, superintendent of Catholic schools. “Through this interscholastic competition, we partner with our wonderful schools and their great librarians to use this competition as a vehicle to build literary skills and unlock the imagination, grow knowledge and awareness of reality, and foster a love of reading in all students.”
Following this inaugural year, the Catholic Schools Office plans to open the competition to all dioceses who wish to participate, Monroe said.
He added, “I am grateful to all of those who led and participated in this initiative this year and look forward to many more good books being read in the future!”
— Annie Ferguson
