Top Readers Awarded Total of $1,800

Poplar Bluff Junior and Senior High students were recently awarded bank cards for leading their respective classes in the Charlie Classic Reading challenge.

(Front row, from left) Kenneth Hadley, Ben Soeter, Christian Cmehil-Warn, Nikkia Hickman, Shishanna Roberson and Jordan Cox; (back row, from left) Kenny Rowland of U.S. Bank, Designing Women Foundation president Stacey Scobey, board members Joyanne Bates, Elissa Hogg and John Long, vice president Kathern Harris, member Linda Surber, and PBHS Assistant Librarian Regina Stratton. Not pictured is Rylee Sparks.

(Front row, from left) Kenneth Hadley, Ben Soeter, Christian Cmehil-Warn, Nikkia Hickman, Shishanna Roberson and Jordan Cox; (back row, from left) Kenny Rowland of U.S. Bank, Designing Women Foundation president Stacey Scobey, board members Joyanne Bates, Elissa Hogg and John Long, vice president Kathern Harris, member Linda Surber, and PBHS Assistant Librarian Regina Stratton. Not pictured is Rylee Sparks.

In addition to earning the Charlie Classics scholarship, Ben Soeter of the PBHS Class of 2015 placed first as a senior, reading 25 books; outgoing junior Christian Cmehil-Warn placed first in his class with 21 books while classmate Nikkia Hickman placed second with 17 books; outgoing sophomore Jordan Cox placed first in his class with 20 books while classmate Shishanna Roberson placed second with 10 books; and outgoing freshman Kenneth Hadley placed first with 12 books.

At the Junior High, outgoing seventh grader Rylee Sparks placed first with 25 books. No eighth graders read the 10-book minimal from the teacher-approved classic literature list.

All first place winners received $300 from U.S. Bank and second place winners received $150 bank cards.

The Charlie Classics Reading challenge is a program under the Designing Women Foundation, which was founded by Poplar Bluff native and television producer Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. For more information, contact Charlie Classics coordinator Linda Surber by calling 573-785-9838 or email ljsurber@hotmail.com.