Tazewell, VA- Tazewell County Public Schools hosted the 24th Annual Tom Colley Reading Bee on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at Tazewell Middle School in Tazewell, Virginia. During the event, 4th and 5th-grade student teams from Abbs Valley-Boissevain Elementary School, Cedar Bluff Elementary School, Tazewell Intermediate School, Richlands Elementary School, and Graham Intermediate School competed in the following categories: spelling, comprehension, vocabulary, editing, and impromptu, where the students dramatized an impromptu question from a book they read.
The overall winners in the 4th-grade event were the students from Richlands Elementary, coached by Lucas Wright. The students on that winning team were Kya Dales, Ava Foland, Aabish Noor, and Caliope Owens. The runner-up team from 4th grade was Cedar Bluff Elementary School, coached by McKena Clark. The students on that team were Jenna Gilbert, Nolan Griffith, Elle Altizer, and Colton Jennelle. The 5th-grade overall winners were the team of students from Graham Intermediate School, coached by Sarah Jones. The team members were Laney Holman, Harper Mitchem, Neveah Shrader, and Kylie Sparks. The runner-up team for 5th grade was Tazewell Intermediate School, coached by Heather Barrett. The team members were Virginia Cox, Bradleigh Littlejohn, Peyton McDaniel, and Noah Mullins.
In the 4th-grade spelling competition, Richlands Elementary School placed first, Cedar Bluff Elementary School, Graham Intermediate School, and Tazewell Intermediate all tied for second place, and Abbs Valley-Boissevain Elementary School placed third.
In the 4th-grade comprehension competition, Richlands Elementary School placed first, Abbs Valley-Boissevain Elementary School placed 2nd, and Cedar Bluff Elementary School, Graham Intermediate School, and Tazewell Intermediate School all tied for 3rd place.
In the 4th-grade editing competition, Richlands Elementary School placed first, Cedar Bluff Elementary School placed second, and Abbs Valley-Boissevain Elementary and Graham Intermediate School tied for 3rd place.
In the 4th-grade vocabulary competition, Graham Intermediate School and Tazewell Intermediate School tied for 1st, Cedar Bluff Elementary School placed 2nd, and Richlands Elementary School placed 3rd.
In the 4th-grade impromptu competition, Cedar Bluff Elementary School placed 1st, Richlands Elementary School placed second, and Graham Intermediate School placed 3rd.
In the 5th-grade spelling competition, Graham Intermediate School placed first, Tazewell Intermediate School placed second, and Cedar Bluff Elementary placed third.
In the 5th-grade comprehension competition, Graham Intermediate School placed first, Richlands Elementary School placed second, and Tazewell Intermediate School placed third.
In the 5th-grade editing competition, Graham Intermediate School placed first, Abbs Valley-Boissevain Elementary and Tazewell Intermediate School tied for second place, and Cedar Bluff Elementary School placed third.
In the 5th-grade vocabulary competition, Tazewell Intermediate School placed first, Cedar Bluff Elementary School placed second, and Richlands Elementary School placed third.
In the 5th-grade impromptu competition, Graham Intermediate School placed first, Richlands Elementary School placed second, and Cedar Bluff Elementary School placed third.
“The Reading Bee is always a great competition and opportunity for our students to shine, and this year was no exception. I'm so proud of all of the students,” said Dr. Christopher B. Stacy, Superintendent of Schools.
All team members for each school are listed below:
Abbs Valley-Boissevain Elementary School
5th Grade Coach: Kristi Hale
5th Grade Team Members: Victoria Ball, Robert Dollinger, Xander Hurd, and Brayson Phipps
4th Grade Coach: Jaime Bowman
4th Grade Team Members: Colton Smalling, Joseph Thompson, and Hayden Epperson
Cedar Bluff Elementary
5th Grade Coach: Trinity Belcher
5th Grade Team Members: Avery Martin, Paisley Richardson, Lanh Pham, and Wittlea Robinson
4th Grade Coach: McKena Clark
4th Grade Team Members: Jenna Gilbert, Nolan Griffith, Elle Altizer, and Colton Jennelle
Graham Intermediate School
5th Grade Coach: Sarah Jones
5th Grade Team members: Laney Holman, Harper Mitchem, Neveah Shrader, and Kylie Sparks
4th Grade Coach: Dakota Mullins
4th Grade Team members: Elizabeth Bales, Alexandria Cook, Emma Nunn, and Zachary Slade
Richlands Elementary School
5th Grade Coach: Kiffani Dales
5th Grade Team Members: Jackson Buchanan, Ivy-Bryn Davis, Amelia Reynolds, and Tanner Sparks
4th Grade Coach: Lucas Wright
4th Grade Team Members: Kya Dales, Ava Foland, Aabish Noor, and Caliope Owens
Tazewell Intermediate School
5th Grade Coach: Heather Barrett
5th Grade Team Members: Virginia Cox, Bradleigh Littlejohn, Peyton McDaniel, and Noah Mullins
4th Grade Coach: Courtney Mullins
4th Grade Team Members: Nora Atkins, Jacob Fox, Jacob Jones, and Jillian Palmer
The Tom Colley Reading Bee used to be called the Tazewell County Reading Bee, but was renamed in honor of the late executive editor of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, who was chairman of the Literacy Committee of what is now the Chamber of Commerce of the Two Virginias. The Reading Bee was created to help children develop a love of reading. Tom had a passion for reading, and his dream was to instill a lifelong love of reading.
Tazewell County Public Schools would like to thank the following individuals who served as competition coordinators and judges:
Keisha Lynch, Heather Kitts, Jessica Davis, Eva McGuire, Sarah Woods, Becky Ritter, Paula Tibbs, Terisa Corell, Bethany Smith, Graham Johnson, Shanna Plaster, Leesa Peery, Lindsey Woodard, Amanda Miller and last but not least, Heather Kitts, Community and Schools Regional Director of Programing & Community Schools, for overseeing the hospitality room for coaches and volunteers.
Special thanks and appreciation go out to members of the Literacy Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of the Two Virginias Inc. and the numerous businesses and organizations that helped sponsor this year’s Reading Bee to make it possible. We would also like to thank the administration, maintenance, and custodial staff of Tazewell Middle School, as well as the Tazewell County Public Schools Technology Department under the supervision of Mr. Patrick Buckner. Finally, we would like to thank Mrs. Melanie Lashinsky, Mrs. Tammy Williams, Family Engagement Coordinator Cindy Lambert, and the Chamber of Commerce of the Two Virginias representatives, who helped organize the Reading Bee.
Below are pictures of the 4th-grade winners-RES (first pic) and 5th-grade winners GIS (2nd pic). To view all photos from the event, click HERE!
-TCPS-