Howard County has a huge book competition for 5th graders every year called Battle of the Books. About 300 teams, with 3-5 kids each, compete from across the county. The kids read and study the same 10 books across genres, and then are quizzed on various trivia in the books. All 300 teams competed at Merriweather Post Pavillion, a large concert venue, which regularly hosts big pop stars. Karina's team named themselves Bananas for Books and I coached them for months leading up to the event. Mabel's mom was assistant coach. The girls met at my house after school every 2 weeks from November to the end of April (the competition was April 29th) to discuss the books and quiz each other on them. They worked so hard! Karina read all the books at least 5 times, and the other girls weren't far behind. They are all a bunch of overachievers.
There was a DJ during half time break and the kids had a wonderful time dancing and jumping around.
From left: Saarah, Ainoor, Maizy, Karina, Mabel
The event itself ran from 7pm until 11pm. We got there at 5:30 and parking was difficult with so many people arriving in the parking garages. It was supposed to end at 9:30 or so, but there were so many technical difficulties, that it ran late. Anyway, the teams answered questions on little remote control devices. After each question, after a minute passed and voting concluded, we could see the correct answer. Because of this, we knew Karina's team had a perfect 100% score. They were so proud and had earned it! Then when winners announced, we waited with anticipation for them to call up 1st place. We were on the edge of our seats, and then 1st place was announced and Bananas for Books was not mentioned. The team next to us, that left early, because they knew they didn't do well, was declared the winners. It was devastating. We quickly found other teams that knew they should have placed, that did not win anything. This turned into a huge disaster for the Battle of the Books organizers. Their voting devices didn't work and the teams that got credit for winning, did not actually win, because in reality they had gotten many questions wrong (and knew it). To keep this story short, after a month and a half and many emails from MANY people, Karina's team was finally awarded 1st place overall. A trophy was sent to Ilchester Elementary, and I got a picture of the girls with it. This trophy is about a third of the size of the 1st place trophy given out at the competition though (to teams that didn't actually win). Parents are still incredibly pissed off at the whole fiasco. The kids were devastated when they didn't win on April 29th, even though they knew that they had won. Getting a mini 1st place trophy was a consolation prize, but better than nothing. The organizers of the competition never did officially tell the incorrect winners that they hadn't actually won. I am not the only adult still upset.
Snoopy passed away on May 20, 2022. (See previous blog post about it and for some favorite pictures of him). We miss my little wolf so much. We had Snoopy cremated and got his ashes back in a lovely carved wood box with an engraved label.
Nate, Lydia, and Derek dug a grave for Snoopy behind our rose bushes. It is a shady beautiful spot.
We had a little funeral for him. Then Lydia and Derek decorated Snoopy's grave with fresh cut roses.
Derek's entire kindergarten grade (4 classes) had a Spring Sing concert for parents. He was an enthusiastic singer with a big smile on his face.
I wish I had recorded all the songs, because Derek was entertaining with his enthusiastic participation. I just have this short clip of one of the Dr. Seuss songs, which I have watched many times and it always makes me laugh.
Derek got a big hug from Daddy after the performance.
Karina's soccer team for Fall and Spring, with 3 girls missing.
I think Lydia and Derek were so cute holding hands on the way to the bus stop. Derek just adores Lydia and always wants to play with her. Lydia likes him too:-)
Our bus stop has about 30 kids(!) and 9 of them are graduating 5th graders. On the first day of school in 2016, we got a picture of Karina and the other incoming kindergartners. Then, as 5th grade was ending, we got another picture of the kids. Both the K and 5th grade pictures have the kids in the same order. The boy on the right in the kindergarten picture moved and we don't remember his name, and we have some new additions in the 5th grade picture (some that moved in, others that were in kindergarten but didn't show up at the bus stop on the first day of school).
Kindergarten picture, from left: Karina, Orly, Gabby, Deanna, Chloe, Eric, boy that moved
5th grade picture, from left: Karina, Orly, Gabby (now Gibby), Deanna, Chloe, Eric, Sonia, Ben, Ryan
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Karina and Derek:
Lydia celebrated her 9th birthday.
She requested brownies for dessert, and Chick-fil-A for dinner.
Karina was promoted from 5th grade at Ilchester Elementary School. She'll go to Bonnie Branch Middle School next year. It is right next door to the elementary school. It will be strange to have a middle schooler! Karina is ready though with a very ambitious schedule. Here she is with some of her friends after the promotion recognition.
Back row: Karina, Ainoor, Deanna
Front row: Mabel, Maizy, Saarah, Sophie
Pictured: Deanna, Orly, Mabel, and Karina
Karina and her teacher Mrs. Jenkins, who Karina loved.
All the 5th graders got signs to put in the yard so everyone would know of the milestone of moving from elementary school to middle school. These types of signs are incredibly popular around here, especially for high school and college.
Lydia celebrated her birthday with a mini party with her 2 closest friends Rebekah and Caeleigh. For the party, we went to HyperKidz and Chick-fil-A. They had a great time!
Pictured: Rebekah, Caeleigh, Lydia
On the last day of school, there was a bubble parade for the graduating 5th graders. Karina went to a pool party at Orly's house afterwards with her friends Maeve, Mabel, and Orly. (Ruby had just tested positive for Covid, or she would have been there too).
Every year our neighborhood has a water balloon and squirt gun fight at the bus stop on the last day of school. As usual, it was great fun. It was Derek's dream come true having a real battle with people and he was smiling from ear to ear the whole time. He was completely drenched, which was no surprise since he kept on going after kids and adults bigger than him. He just loved it though. Karina also loved it. Lydia didn't participate and didn't want anyone throwing water balloons at her.
Most of the 5th graders had already left in this picture, but here is a picture of most kids after the water balloon fight.
That was the end of another school year. Karina and Derek will never go to the same school at the same time again!
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