High School competition added to Battle of the Books. This year Jimmy Carter ECHS librarian Mrs. Cavazos brought together a three-girl team: Briza Hernandez, Jade Cruz, and Sol Garcia. The three girl team secured their position in the competition with an all out win and will no embark to the regional meet on February 18.

Region One ESC Library Services and Instructional Resources hosts the local chapter of Battle of the Books.  During the regional meet, students will be hosted by author Benjamin Alire Saenz (The Inexplicable Logic of My Life) during which they will be quizzed on the following novels:

  • Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
  • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
  • The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Saenz
  • The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
  • Warcross by Marie Lu

Previously, the district has hosted Elementary Battle of the Books for the last three years. This nose to nose battle allows teams from each of the schools to come and battle wits and see who comes out as a winner.

Congratulations to Mrs. Cavazos and her team on winning at the District Battle of the Books competition.

Ivan Silva serves as the advisor for RedGold News Student Publications, where he mentors student journalists and oversees all aspects of the publication. In addition to his work with RGN, Silva teaches Dual Enrollment courses in Speech Communication and Interpersonal Communication, helping students bridge the gap between high school and college-level academics.

He is also an adjunct instructor at South Texas College (STC), where he brings his expertise in communication studies into higher education classrooms. On campus, Silva is actively involved as the UIL Coordinator and UIL Journalism Coach, guiding students to success in academic competitions at the district, regional, and state levels.

Through his combined roles as Journalism Advisor, RGN Advisor, and educator, Silva is dedicated to fostering student voice, leadership, and excellence in communication, both in print and beyond.