Isabella Benjamin

Building Community. Sophomore, Darby Hollen, presents an informational slideshow at the first Booktroverts meeting. Hollen co-founded the club along with Sophomore, Addison Carles, as a way to bring together the reading community.

Introverted and extroverted are words used to describe people of different personalities. Not everyone can identify themselves as either an introvert or extrovert, but what about a booktrovert?

Sophomores Darby Hollen and Addison Carles have founded a book club called the Booktroverts. The club is meant for readers of all levels to come together and share their interest in books with each other.

Hollen and Carles both share a love for reading. Through this love they came up with the idea for Booktroverts. 

“During our independent book reading for Mrs. Leone’s English project, I read a book that she [Hollen] recommended to me,” Carles said. “Once I finished it, we sat down and talked about the book because we both really enjoyed it.” 

After their conversation, Hollen and Carles reached out to English teacher Megan Leone to ask if there was a book club that could connect students through books. 

“A little after Christmas break, Darby Hollen and Addie Carles came up to me asking if we had a book club in the school,” Leone said. “I said, ‘I don’t think we do,’ and then they became interested in starting one.”

After the initial interest, Hollen, Carles and Leone worked together to make the book club happen. Leone took her students’ ideas to Principal Andrew Neely who granted their wishes. With Neely’s approval, Hollen and Carles were able to start Booktroverts. 

Both Hollen and Carles have always had a passion for reading.

“Ever since I was a little kid I have loved reading,” Hollen said. 

Their loves for reading are something normal for them, and they hope to share that with all the members of the club.

The first informational meeting was held on Feb. 26. This meeting informed members about how the club will work. Starting in March, the club will read a book a month. They will meet at the beginning and end of the month. 

“At the beginning of the month we are going to pick the genre of our book by spinning a wheel,” Carles said. “Darby and I have a list of pre-chosen books that the members can vote on for the genre that is decided.” 

As the club was just founded this year, the books will be provided by free resources. Students will be able to use teachers’ libraries or a Blair County Library, in person or online, if they have a library card. 

At the second meeting, the club will discuss the book and what it meant to them.

“At the end of the month we’ll talk about the book, say what we like, talk about the themes and enjoy the book together,” Carles said. 

Sophomore Liliana Baker attended the first meeting. She is good friends with the co-founders, and wanted to share her love of reading with them. 

“The fact my friends were in it [Booktroverts], and I love reading, made me want to go,” Baker said. 

She believes it will add a common interest among students in the school. 

“I think it will add a safer community for people that do not have a club or community to go to,” Baker said. “It will help them find an interest we all have.”

While the club is in its early stages, the co-founders and adviser hope to see it grow.

“I hope that it is an environment where kids can sink their teeth into a book, talk about things that matter to them, have fun and connect in a way that is not structured as an English class,” Leone said.