Beanstack reading contest encourages literacy

H-E-B representative Nabor Tellez and Librarian Andrea Mendoza pose with senior Ezekiel Phillips who read the most during the Beanstack monthly reading contest. Photo by Alizabeth Westfall.

To encourage reading among students the district started the Beanstack monthly reading contest for all grade levels. 

On Monday, four classes received a prize of ice-cream. These four classes had the most reading time. The class with the most reading time logged was coach Zackary Madrid’s, second period English 4 class, with a total of 49 hours read for the month of October.

“I just let them know that we had a really good chance to win,” Madrid said. “And to do their best.”

Participating in this contest is not just about reading to get a prize every month; it's about making yourself a better reader according to Librarian Andrea Mendoza.

”It's going to help you in life,” Mendoza said. “You have to read to survive.”

Senior Ezekiel Phillips was the student with the most reading hours, reading for 33 hours, and he even read more than the other classes total time. The contest encouraged students to read more by having a reward if their class read the most. 

“It helped push me to log my hours,” Phillips said. “It also pushed me to read a little bit more in comparison to what I usually would do.”

Knowing how to read is crucial for everyday life. No matter what career you take on in the future, reading is a skill everyone needs to have, according to Mendoza.

”Whether you’re going to college, whether you join the military, whether you’re going straight into a job, you need to know how to read,” Mendoza said.

For more information regarding the contest email andrea.mendoza@dvisd.net.