By Ali Moreland
Vernon Elementary School (VES) students recorded substantial reading accomplishments during the 2025-26 school year, collectively reading more than 63,000 books and earning more than 40,000 Accelerated Reader (AR) points.
The results build on progress recognized earlier in the school year. In April, the Washington County News reported that Mrs. Yates’ first-grade class had read more than 5,000 books, and by the end of the school year, two additional classes reached that benchmark, including Mrs. Brock’s second-grade class and Mrs. Brown’s first-grade class.
Schoolwide participation in the Accelerated Reader program also reflected strong student engagement. A total of 165 students earned at least 100 AR points during the school year, while 30 students earned 250 or more AR points. Melissa Gibson, librarian at VES, noted that both totals represent the highest number of students to reach those benchmarks in the school’s history.
Among individual achievements, student Eleanor Gibson set two school records, earning 1,053.5 AR points during the school year. This total represents the highest number of AR points earned by a student in a single year, as well as the highest cumulative AR point total in school history.
The school’s year-end totals and individual accomplishments highlight a strong year of participation in reading initiatives at VES.
AMBER PATINO 
Staff Report