Association gathers student votes for best book

Tuesday, 05 February 2013 by Grayson Edds

Students learned that their vote counts as they voted for their favorite Bluebonnet book on Friday. Reading has always been an important part of the curriculum at BISD, but creating a love for reading and books goes beyond the teachers and faculty. The Texas Library Association nominates 20 books each year. According to their website, "the Texas Bluebonnet Committee and the Texas Library Association sponsor the Texas Bluebonnet Award Reading List for grades 3-6 solely to encourage free voluntary reading."

Students who read at least five of the 20 books are then eligible to vote for their favorite, which is also a lesson in democracy.

The students at Miller Heights and Pirtle elementary were given the opportunity to experience the full voting process. As they filtered through the library before school, the students checked in with a volunteer who verified their eligibility. Students were handed a ballot, and, one at a time, they entered the voting booth, and cast their anonymous votes.

As a special treat, they were rewarded with an all blue themed breakfast – blueberries and whipped cream, blue milk or juice, or a blueberry muffin.

Young artists helped paint the voting booth used at Miller Heights and Pirtle. Anita Sigler, librarian for both Miller Heights and Pirtle, looks forward to it each year. And this year even more so, because of their custom voting booth.

Before her son graduated from Belton High School last year, he made a voting booth in a woodworking class for the students to use. Five students were selected  to help paint the voting booth under the direction of art teacher Rana Young.

Ballots will be collected and counted throughout Texas. This year's winning book will be announced in early February.

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