News & Announcements

TFS middle school students celebrate reading goals

Despite the cancellation of TomeCon, the annual gathering of the Tome Student Literacy Society, middle school chapter members at Tallulah Falls School gathered instead for a virtual celebration. 

Faculty advisor and English teacher Kim McClurg hosted a Google Meet event for a group of students eligible to attend the conference originally scheduled for March 24. 

“We were set to take the largest group of students ever – 63 kids – so we were very disappointed not to go,” McClurg said. “All of the kids had to meet their reading goal, and they had to have read three of the Tome books. So they definitely had to ‘earn’ their spots!”

Seventh-graders Caroline Smith of Sautee-Nacoochee and Allison Bailey of Lula placed first in TomeCon contests, McClurg said.  

	Allison Bailey
	Caroline Smith

“Caroline won the Fan Fiction contest and Allison won Theme Essay,” she said. “We are so proud of both of these girls as it was very competitive this year, with an estimated 5,000 participants at TomeCon this year.”

McClurg said the Reading Bowl team placed fifth in the state, with eighth-grade team members Henry Rickman of Tiger, Lilly Kate Farrar of Mt. Airy, Andrew Whittle of Tiger, Jane Ibemere of Decatur and seventh-grade team members T.J. Cox of Cornelia, Caroline Smith of Cleveland, Allison Bailey of Lula, Chloe Erwin of Demorest, Lizzy Wanner of Toccoa, Teryk Tilley of Tallulah Falls, Mia Hamon of Mt. Airy, Raegan Duncan of Martin, Emma Barron of Clarkesville, and Madeline Martin of Cornelia. 

The Tome Student Literacy Society, established in 2012 by Georgia media specialists Shelby Day, Jennifer Parker and Rebecca Hamby and quickly joined by Ashley Walden, celebrates annually with a conference – TomeCon – a gathering of like-minded students, advisers and volunteers from chapters all across the state. 

At TomeCon chapter members in grades four-12 attend break-out sessions, author talks both in person and through Skype and networking with other members from throughout the state.

Google Meets Celebration