For the first time in RPS history, the winners of the middle school Library Learning Commons (LLC) March Madness tournaments went head-to-head to determine the ultimate champion of the stacks. After a week of spirited voting, Rick Riordan’s modern classic, The Lightning Thief, has officially been crowned the winner of the first-ever “Golden Spine” trophy.

The competition brought together the top-seeded books from two local rivals: East Ridge Middle School (ERMS) and Scotts Ridge Middle School (SRMS). Throughout March, both schools held independent bracket-style tournaments to narrow down their favorite reads.

At ERMS, the demigod adventures of The Lightning Thief dominated the brackets, while SRMS students championed the suspenseful mystery One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus.

With each school bringing its local champion to the table, a final district-wide vote was held to settle the score. In a showdown that saw high engagement from students across both campuses, the Greek mythology-inspired epic narrowly pulled ahead to secure the victory.

“This competition was about more than just picking a favorite book,” said Emily Shiller. “It was about celebrating reading culture and bringing our two middle schools together through a shared love of great stories. Both books have massive fan bases, but The Lightning Thief proved to be an unstoppable force this year.”

The Golden Spine trophy will be displayed at East Ridge Middle School, serving as a testament to the students’ passion for reading until the tournament returns next spring.