The Bellefontaine City Schools Gifted Department recently hosted the Reading Olympics in the Distance Learning Center.

Over 60 second-graders participated in the reading challenge and 28 students qualified to attend.

The challenge was created by Cathy Wiley and has been in existence for 27 years.

This year several of the books for the challenge were updated to include more recent publications as well as a broad variety of genres.

Students were challenged to read books in 10 different genres with two books available in each genre.

The format of the books also varied from chapter books, graphic novels, novels in verse, and picture books.

Students were required to complete a summary of the book after reading it that could be used the day of the Olympics to answer questions. 600 Downtown Pizza provided a free personal pizza certificate for all of the qualifiers.

Gifted Intervention Specialist Lindy Martin facilitated the event along with BCS Gifted Intervention Specialist Katie Davis and several high school student volunteers (Parker Penhorwood, Olivia Turner, and Mia Oppy).

The Cute Kitty Cats (Savannah Heritage, Junie Lickfelt, and Charlotte Burkhardt) brought home the gold.

The Nerds (Ian Clay, Ben Strayer, and Julian Floyd) took home the silver.

The Daisies (Rhys Hammer, Jameson Jarrell, and Evelynn Downing) earned the bronze.

Photos: BES second-graders who participated in the Reading Olympics.

The Reading Olympics final event in the Distance Learning Center