Students hungry for 'Hunger Games'

FORT KENT -Three books have been changing the face of students' reading habits at Fort Kent Community High School, and altering the school curriculum as a result.

JUST CAN'T RESIST READING - Chelsey Plourde is shown in the foreground, and Demi Pelletier is in the background. These are two of the many CHS students who have become fans of the unexpectedly popular books, The Hunger Games, and its two sequels. - Daigle image

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, and its two sequels are sparking an unprecedented surge of interest in reading among groups of students who have historically not been interested in reading, said SAD 27 District Librarian Jamie Pelletier.

"Kids we don't normally see reading are reading this book," said Pelletier.

In an ironic twist, students are hiding the book behind magazines considered more "cool" in order to sneak in some time reading it.

The book is can't-put-it-down material, said Pelletier.

"Teachers have had to tell students to put the books away."

Pelletier said the books have been breaking down traditional reading divisions between males and females in the school.

STILL NOT COOL - One of the students who is reading and enjoying The Hunger Games does his part to show up for the photo shoot at the FKCHS library, but that doesn't mean he wants his picture in the paper with a book. - Daigle image

Right now, there are more freshman guys reading the books than girls, said Don Chouinard, 9th grade CHS English teacher. The book is helping to motivate reluctant guy readers to read.

They are saying, "I hate reading, but I love this book," he said.

He said teachers are hoping the book will be a "gateway book." If they like this one, there may be others that they will read.

The surge of interest has motivated administrators and teachers at CHS to include reading challenges in the annual Winter Carnival competitions between classes. Students can read The Hunger Games and pass a computerized AR (accelerated reading) test for class points. Whichever class has the greatest percentage of students passing the test wins the challenge.

"If they've read the book, the test is a cinch," said Chouinard.

Students who pass the test will also be allowed to attend a special matinee screening of a film based on the book when it arrives at the Fort Kent Century Theater, with free popcorn and an anticipated $3 admission fee.

To date, 60 students have read the book and passed the test.  Chouinard said the percentage of the student population reading the book and passing the test is 97.3 percent. The average success rate of students taking the AR test is 80 percent.

TECHNOLOGY ASSISTS STUDENTS WITH READING - Jared Michaud is shown in the foreground reading from a Kindle, an electronic book. In the background are Amelia Guimond, and behind her, Veronica Caron. Caron said she first became interested in the books when she saw the movie trailer for 'The Hunger Games.' - Daigle image

"That's amazing. That's unlike anything we've ever seen," said Chouinard.

Pelletier said the book is demonstrating the power of "good peer pressure." She said there is discussion circulating about an after-school book club chat group around the trilogy.

It has also prompted individual teachers to include the book in their assigned reading. The book has already been ordered for the grade 10 curriculum, Chouinard said.

For those students without the book on the assigned reading list, reading the book and passing a test can contribute to their out-of-classroom English reading requirements. Adam Puttkammer read the entire trilogy in a week and finished his outside reading requirements in English for the year, said Chouinard. Sabrina Daigle read the first book in one school day.

This book may even help administrators to improve CHS' No Child Left Behind testing scores.

The CHS library has purchased eight new Kindles. Each of these has been preloaded with the book, and students can sign the Kindles out of the library. All the Kindles have text-to-speech capability for students with hearing disabilities. This option works better for students who struggle with reading but are outstanding auditory learners, said Chouinard.

In addition, the library has audiobooks available and owns 23 paper copies of the book. Several teachers have purchased additional copies of the book and have loaned them out. Students have also bought their own copies and loaned them out.

"There are close to 50 copies in the building," said Chouinard.

All students have MacBooks and can download the book electronically onto their computers as well. And yet, 15 students are still on a waiting list for the book at the library.

Chouinard said, "If we didn't have technology, this wouldn't have worked as well as it has."