The Durham School of the Arts (DSA) High School team has claimed the top spot in the 2025 North Carolina State Battle of the Books competition, held on April 28 at the Unity Center in Statesville.
The statewide event brought together the best high school teams from across North Carolina to compete in a rigorous test of literary knowledge. DSA’s team demonstrated exceptional skill, teamwork, and deep understanding of the competition’s diverse reading list, ultimately earning the title of state champions.
The championship team includes students Leo Breit, Braelyn Dean, Maxwell Guo, Silly Howard, Azil Leal Guzmán, Jemma Lee, Eloise Luetzow, Elizabeth Marvelle, Juliette Nebeling, Maggie Phillips, and Janaki Sreenivasan.
The team was led by coaches Kim Gugino and Jenny Umbarger, whose dedication and guidance played a crucial role in preparing the students for this high-level competition.
Battle of the Books is a statewide program sponsored by the North Carolina School Library Media Association. The competition encourages reading for pleasure while promoting collaboration, critical thinking, and a love of literature among students.
This victory marks a proud achievement for DSA and highlights the strength of its academic programs and student engagement in the literary arts.