Middle school students at Aquinas Academy shared first place and a love of reading at LitFest.

LitFest encourages students in grades four through eight to engage with literature in a way that goes beyond typical classroom reading.

Coordinated by the Diocese of Pittsburgh, it was held May 1 at Ave Maria Academy for the older students and May 2 at Seton LaSalle Catholic High School for the younger ones.

Aquinas Academy sent a total of 12 teams to the event — seven teams comprised of 28 students in fourth through sixth grades and five teams comprised of 19 students in seventh and eighth grades.

Each of the younger grades were given a list of three books to read, while the older students had to read four books. They began preparing for the competition in late March. Students read independently and met with their teams several times.

The Hampton school placed first out of 86 teams in fourth through sixth grades. In seventh through eighth grades, a category consisting of 18 teams, two Aquinas teams tied for first and one team secured second place.

The students enjoyed the preparation leading up to the competition, which included book-related trivia and other challenges.

“Joining LitFest made me read the book differently,” said Olivia Whetzel, a fifth grader. “I had to look for more details and try to pay attention more as I read because I knew it was a competition.”

By working in teams, students had the opportunity to discuss novels collaboratively with their peers. The competition fostered creativity and teamwork.

“I enjoyed working as a team with my cousins. It was so much fun, and I would tell other kids to do it,” said Lucille Rounding, another fifth grader. “The more people who do it, the more fun it is.”

Added fellow fifth grader Michael Kohley: “I did it because I ran out of books to read at home. I got ‘Prince Caspian,’ and I really liked it. It was cool to see the author of one of the books there.”

Antony Barone Kolenc, known for his award-winning medieval series “The Harwood Mysteries,” served as guest author for the event. He discussed his creative writing process and the importance of Catholic education in his writing journey.

His insight resonated with the students.

“I think the talk with the author was really cool,” said Margaret Burch, a fifth grader. “I liked how he talked about his childhood and how he became a writer at the age of 12. He showed us his writing process.”

Other LitFest events included a podcast performance, a puzzle relay and a drawing challenge.

“I really liked incorporating acting into the competition,” said Rebecca Bird, a seventh grader. “It allowed our team to show an understanding of the characters.”

For details about Aquinas Academy, visit aquinasacademy-pittsburgh.org.

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