Lee County Schools' 2026 Battle of the Books season concluded with a page-turning competition between Lee Early College and Lee County High School. After eight rounds of rigorous referencing of the reading material, Lee Early College won six of eight rounds to secure a four-point lead going into the championship round. In a shocking upset, Lee County High School made a comeback, stinging the Cobras to win by half a point in the championship round.
Lee County High School team members included Abigail Borrell, Aiden-Connor Smith, Danna Vicente Dominguez, Jenna Huynh, Julia Heifert, Kate Glasson and Paxton Davis. Coaches were Dee Prince, Jamie Brown and Katie Brown.
Lee Early College team members included Aggie Schrader, Alanna Terwilliger, Alexa Chapman, Alex Garcia, Hadassah Velasco, Janet Buitron and Josh Breyer, who were coached by Amanda Penwell.
When the curtains came down, several seniors received the Excellence in Advanced Learning Award for consistently participating in Battle of the Books throughout their school careers. These students participated in Battle of the Books in elementary and high school, but they were unable to participate in middle school because it was not yet available. Recipients of the award are Aiden-Connor Smith, Alanna Terwilliger, Julia Heifert, Kate Glasson and Paxton Davis.
When asked for a statement, Penwell said, “All students played a great game.” She added, “We were sad Southern wasn’t able to make it, but we look forward to next year's competition!” Southern Lee High School was unable to participate this year, ending its three-year winning streak.
Submitted by Avery M. Tart
Lee Early College Class of 2024
B.A. English Candidate North Carolina State University, Class of 2026