The first Diocese of Columbus Battle of the Books for high schools took place on Thursday, March 20, at Newark Catholic High School.
Participating in the event were students from Columbus St. Charles Preparatory School, Cristo Rey Columbus, Columbus Bishop Hartley, Lancaster Fisher Catholic, Newark Catholic and Columbus St. Francis DeSales high schools. Bishop Hartley took home the first-place trophy and St. Charles finished a close second.
Though Battle of the Books is a national organization that holds a local competition, this year the diocese separated from that Battle, offering local Catholic high school students a reading list of quality literature that aligns with Catholic values and faith.
Robert Buehler, the primary organizer of the event, was happy to see the diocese “provide students an opportunity to read great literature that has stood the test of time, which they might not read on their own.”
The list of 21 books ranged from fiction to fantasy and non-fiction to poetry, with writings from C.S. Lewis, Mary Shelley, J.R.R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and others.
The quiz format was broken into five rounds, with every school competing against all other schools. Each novel was quizzed in detail by more than 50 students who prepared for the battle. Though it was a serious and competitive battle, it was filled with cheering and camaraderie.
During the breaks, students mixed with competing schools, introducing themselves with warmth and familiarity. The overwhelming sense was that it was a lot of fun.
“Students who like to read don’t get the attention of the basketball team,” Buehler noted. “It was a great opportunity to let them shine.”