Echo reveals truth about hallway book club

Connor George

Lay in wait Seniors Darian Burchfield and Matthew Amendolea look around for any potential members. While they searched for new members, they finished reading the book. “It’s kind of like a trap,” Burchfield said.

Burchfield and Amendolea asked multiple teachers this question. One teacher they asked was astronomy teacher James Krug.

“I would walk by those guys a lot during eighth period, and I would see them reading there. They were super nice. They just asked me one time if I wanted to join their club. I felt bad because there was just the two of them, but I really like reading, so I was like, ‘OK!’” Krug said. 

While Krug thought he was only joining a book club with two students, more teachers and administrators were recruited than he anticipated.

“As of now I believe, seven, roughly, Mr. Krug, Ms. Flick, Mrs. Lowe, Mrs. Schaffer, Mr. Nedimyer, Mr. Neely [and] Mr. Picciotti. That’s about it currently and obviously us, so that’s nine. It’s more steered towards the staff, but it’s open for applications,” Amendolea said.

Another teacher who joined was English teacher Jaclyn Flick.

“There were some students who sat in the hall each day, and they would often ask if I would be interested in joining their book club,” Flick said. “It looked as if they were always having engaging conversations and enjoying their time, and I really wanted to participate. They just simply asked me in the hall… but I’m not quite sure what criteria they used to pick [me].”

Originally, the book club started from the reader’s workshop book club anchor. Burchfield and Amendolea had the idea to expand and invite others, specifically teachers, to talk about their book. 

“It’s a student book club, and they talk to each other, but they went the extra mile and wanted other people to join their club so they could expand who they were talking to,” Lowe said.

Krug expressed great interest in the book.

“I was able to get the book from Mrs. Lowe, and needless to say, I think I actually finished the book a lot quicker than those guys did,” Krug said. “I wanted to talk about it, but a couple of times they were like, ‘oh, we’re still reading it.’ I was like, ‘OK.’”

Many of the teachers who were asked stated they were greatly impacted.

“I do feel special to have been asked, and I wish I would’ve been able to participate because I feel as if that’s a great opportunity to have teachers talking about books with kids,” Flick said. 

“I’m glad the guys included me,” Krug said.

Currently, the club is not meeting right now because they aren’t doing readers workshop at the moment.

“Whenever our teacher gives us the book [we will start again]. I just don’t really know what that’s going to be yet,” Amendolea said.

Even though asking teachers to join their book club started as a joke, it actually improved their learning experience.

“Instead of bucking the system and not wanting to read the book and just googling a summary, just try to make fun out of it. It’s not work if you’re having fun,” Burchfield said.