NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 24, 2023 – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), the City of Norfolk and Norfolk Public Schools have once again teamed up for the Read With MEac elementary and middle school reading contest, sponsored by TowneBank and Dominion Energy. The winners were announced today.
 
Read With MEac is a citywide reading contest that encourages Norfolk Public Schools students to read as much as possible. Participants’ reading progress was monitored through the Renaissance Star Reading program from September through earlier this month.
 
“Read With MEac is one of the most important initiatives we have as a conference,” MEAC Commissioner Sonja Stills said. “I’m proud to see this program thriving in its 15^th year, and I appreciate the city of Norfolk, Norfolk Public Schools, TowneBank and Dominion Energy for their support. Thank you to [Norfolk Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sharon] Byrdsong for her commitment to this program, and congratulations to all our winners this year.”
 
The reading contest, organized by MEAC Senior Associate Commissioner Alexiss Robinson along with MEAC member institutions’ Senior Woman Administrators, is aimed at encouraging education and promoting a love of reading.
 
The program is in its 15^th year.
 
“Norfolk Public Schools’ students are always excited about reading, and we love adding to that enthusiasm by participating in the Read with MEac contest,” Dr. Byrdsong said. “This partnership with the MEAC showcases both the fun and the fundamentals. And we are so thrilled that our winning school will enjoy an in-person celebration with the MEAC for the first time since the pandemic. It is a tradition we have certainly missed.”
 
The 2023 winning school, class and top readers will be recognized in a celebration at W.H. Taylor Elementary on Tuesday, March 7 at a time to be determined. This will be the first in-person Read With MEac celebration since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The winners are:
 
First-Place School
W.H. Taylor Elementary ($2,000)
 
Second-Place School
Tidewater Park Elementary ($1,500)
 
Third-Place School
Ingleside Elementary Elementary ($500)
 
Winning Class
Teacher Matthew Buchinger, 2^nd grade, W.H. Taylor Elementary ($1,000)
 
Top Readers
Annabella Hardner, 2^nd grade, Norview Elementary*
Isabella McKenzie, 2^nd grade, Larchmont Elementary*
Henry Martins, 2^nd grade, Ghent School
Harper Baylor-Morse, 3^rd grade, Ghent School
Zachary Ross, 3^rd grade, Academy for Discovery at Lakewood
Juliet Anderson, 4^th grade, Larchmont Elementary
Kai Hiyama, 4^th grade, W.H. Taylor Elementary
Isabella Clark, 5^th grade, Tarrallton Elementary
Giovanni Jackson, 5^th grade, Bay View Elementary
Anise Moore, 6^th grade, Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
Arden McCammon, 6^th grade, Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
Esme’ Courson, 7^th grade, Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
Byron Gordon, 7^th grade, Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
Gabriella Chambers, 8^th grade, Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
Elias Bowes, 8^th grade, Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
 
Most Improved
Ethan Trusty, 2^nd grade, Coleman Place Elementary
Seth Burleson, 2^nd grade, Lake Taylor School
Amberlynn Sop-Neblock, 3^rd grade, Sewells Point Elementary
Peyton Palovick, 3^rd grade, Bay View Elementary
Serenity Nixon, 4^th grade, Southside STEM Academy at Campostella
Gray Richardson, 4^th grade, Tidewater Park Elementary
Re’kale Austin, 5^th grade, Granby Elementary
Orlando Gonzalez Contreras, 5^th grade, Oceanair Elementary
Jani’yah Mumford, 6^th grade, Southside STEM Academy at Campostella
Octavian Brown, 6^th grade, Norview Middle
Summer Williams, 7^th grade, Blair Middle
William Bott, 7^th grade, Northside Middle
Da’Miya Williams, 8^th grade, Azalea Gardens Middle
Emigdio Rudiger, 8^th grade, Azalea Gardens Middle
 
 
*denotes tie
 
 
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is in its 52^nd year of intercollegiate competition with the 2022-23 academic school year. Located in Norfolk, Va., the MEAC is made up of eight outstanding historically black institutions across the Atlantic coastline: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University.