While the construction of the new wing of CHS is drawing to a close at the end of this summer, CHS students will be exploring the theme of construction in the third annual Summer Reading Challenge. Both the English Department and a small organizing committee put the Summer Reading Challenge into action. The committee consists of English teachers Amy Chappuis and Jennifer Sellenriek and CHS librarian Lauran DeRigne.

The books on the list this year include “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” by Jonathon Safran Foer, “3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man” by Matt Kindt, “Zeitoun” by Dave Eggers, “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley and “This Will Change Everything” by John Brockman.

The books were selected because they are all focused around this year’s theme, construction. In the summer of 2010 the theme was focused around identity, and in 2009 it was about overcoming adversity. When students return to school in the fall after reading one of the five book choices, English classes will hold discussions about the common themes in the books. Big ideas surrounding the books this year include how an author builds a book, how a person builds or rebuilds their life, and what the structures of life are.
The English department picks the books collectively.

“Mrs. DeRigne, Mrs. Chappuis and myself . . . read with [the theme] in mind,” Sellenriek said. “Mostly we take suggestions from the faculty and then after we have culled them, read them and thought ‘let’s read them for our big audience’, which is all of our students, faculty and staff, we make a decision. So we have the final decision in the book choice, but it is really a collective effort.”

Each year, the committee picks a classic, a contemporary novel and a nonfiction book and leaves two spots open to be any type of book. Although many schools have only one choice for students to read during the summer, Sellenriek supports the choice offered to students.

“A lot of schools just choose one and everybody reads the same, but we like the idea of choice, especially since it’s a summer read,” Sellenriek said. “I think it’s exciting to have a conversation going on where kids can talk about the same idea with different books, which we don’t necessarily do on a normal basis. We usually are all talking about ‘The Odyssey’ or ‘The Great Gatsby’, but during [Summer Reading Challenge discussions] we’re able to talk about the big idea.”

The Summer Reading Challenge was started in 2009. Sellenriek, along with a small committee of teachers researched other school’s summer reading policies. The committee decided to ask the English Department to not use Summer Reading Challenge books for assessments.

“We didn’t want it to be punitive and we didn’t want some kids walk in the door and fail a reading test at the beginning of the year,” Sellenriek said. “But obviously as English teachers we understand the power of the shared experience of reading a book together and talking about it.”

Not only is the experience shared for CHS students and the English Department, but also other CHS teachers are encouraged to read books from Summer Reading Challenge.

“In the past few summers we’ve encouraged all faculty members to read [a book from the Summer Reading Challenge] and so I’ve had great conversations with teachers about the books they’ve read,” Sellenriek said. “Also, other teachers have connected with students in their classrooms [about the books].”

The Summer Reading Challenge has received funds this year to buy every faculty member at CHS a book from this years Summer Reading Challenge. This is fortunate because next year, one day in the beginning of the year during 3rd period will be designated as a time to discuss the Summer Reading Challenge books, so that everyone in the school will be discussing at the same time although they may not be in their English classes.

The new type of discussion looks like it will be a great success to Sellenriek.

“I’m pretty excited, I think it’ll be a really cool cross grade, cross curricular activity,” Sellenriek said.

Overall, the Summer Reading Challenge offers a positive reading experience for CHS students. Many students have had good experiences with the Challenge.

“I feel that the Summer Reading Challenge is overall a good thing. I mean, you’re given the opportunity to find some pretty good books,” sophomore Joanna Shoemaker said.

Sophomore Willie Wysession agrees with Shoemaker.

“I really think it’s a fun and interesting challenge, and I like having options of good books to read over the summer,” Wysession said. “I especially liked the year we read ‘Catching Fire’ by Suzanne Collins because I thought it was a really suspenseful, exciting read.”

Sellenriek also thinks that the Summer Reading Challenge is a perfect way to usher students into the new school year.

“There’s no doubt that kids who read [the Summer Reading Challenge book] over the summer and who can be active in the conversation have a way to feel confident and connect early in the year, which I think is pretty cool,” Sellenriek said.