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Parochial students cash in on reading skills
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Neighbors | Christine Keeling.St. Joseph Immaculate Heart of Mary students, from left, (front) Alyssa Armstrong, Jena Styka, Ricky Koewacich, Casey Roberts, Kelsey Parker, Seirra DuBois; (back) John Hintz, Vince Yurcho, Courtney Dockry, Kamisha Parker and Anna Marie Jadue were winners at Youngstown State University’s English Festival. Thirty students from the school visited the festival Apr. 30.
By CHRISTINE KEELING
Seventh and eighth-graders read seven books, wrote essays, created musical works and participated in a fun-filled day of activities.
Approximately 30 students from St. Joseph Immaculate Heart of Mary School attended Youngstown State University’s annual English Festival Apr. 30 with English teacher Caroline Mulhall and walked away with $430 in prize money, books and pins.
“It encourages the reading levels of kids because it also challenges them,” said St. Joseph Immaculate Heart of Mary principal John Rozzo. “They have to recall what they read; they just can’t say ‘I read seven books.’”
Jena Styka won first place and $50 for her entry in the Candace Gay Memorial essay contest and Kamisha Parker won books and honorable mention. The students were asked to discuss what they learned about leadership from reading this year’s festival books.
Winners in impromptu writing included Courtney Dockry, first place and $150; and Casey Roberts, second place and $100. Ricky Koewacich, Kelsey Parker and Anna Jadue received honorable mentions.
Alyssa Armstrong won first place and $40, Kelsey Parker took third place and $30 and Vince Yurcho received $20 and fourth place in writing games at the festival. Honorable mention went to John Hintz.
Teams of students competed in a game that tested their memory and recall of specific characters in the books they read in the Not-So-Trivial Pursuit challenge. First-place school winners were Styka and Roberts. Jadue took third place.
Sierra DuBois and Kamisha Parker got honorable mention and $40 for their submission to the Jeremy Salvner Memorial Music Award.
Youngstown State University hosts the English Festival every spring and middle and high schools from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties are invited to participate.