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On March 6, Norwin High School students involved with the Knight Readers club participated in the Westmoreland Interscholastic Reading Competition (WIRC) at Seton Hill University.

The Knight Readers is the library club at Norwin High School and is made up of all the library extracurricular activities. Knight readers includes the Westmoreland Interscholastic Reading Competition (WIRC) teams along with participants in the Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Awards (PYRCA) Passport Program, which is the independent reading program.

The WIRC competition first started in 2001 and was organized by the Greensburg Salem libraries in conjunction with other school librarians throughout Westmoreland County. Norwin High School has been participating since its existence.

This year Norwin was able to bring two teams to Seton Hill this year. Team ‘Last Knight at the Telegraph Club’ placed 6th, and ‘The Impossible Knights of Memory’ placed 14th overall.

“Knight Readers was the team name that my predecessor gave to Norwin’s WIRC team,” Mrs. Kauffman the Knight Readers Coach stated. “Although students now get to choose a team name each year- team names are typically book puns or involve a play on the word Knights- I kept the team name to refer to the library club.”

The WIRC competition brings many schools and reading club members together, it introduces new and fun opportunities for each member to experience.

“In regards to this year in WIRC, my absolute favorite books we have read so far this year were Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-lyimide and I Must Betray you by Ruta Sepetys,” team member Grace Fleckenstein (10). “Ace of Spades is an academic novel about two black students struggling to overcome the racists ideologies of their preppy high school. While, I Must Betray You is a historical fiction centered around the conflicts of communist Romania in the year 1998. Over, my favorite book of all time would have to be Looking For Alaska by John Green. This book got me into reading and I have reread it many times after reading it in middle school.”

Being a part of the Knight Readers club gives you great opportunities in life. You learn new life skills and create memories with friends all in the fun of learning and reading.

”Reading has a huge impact on readers! Books have a great ability to give us a broader view of the world we live in,” Kauffman explained. “Reading can strengthen vocabulary, encourage empathy, help readers to feel connected to others, and it’s fun! Plus, Knight Readers gives ,any of our members a chance to talk about what they are reading with other big readers and forge friendships with classmates they may never have met otherwise.”