The Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl is a literary quiz‑bowl competition for students in Georgia (grades 4–12), founded in the mid-1980s by Helen Ruffin, a media specialist in DeKalb County. Inspired by her involvement on the Georgia Children’s Book Award—later the Georgia Peach Teen Book Award—nomination committees, she created a team-based contest where students answer questions on that year’s nominated books, encouraging reading comprehension, teamwork, and public speaking skills. 

Here’s how it works:

• Teams are formed at the elementary (grades 4–5), middle (6–8), and high school (9–12) levels. Elementary and middle school teams study 17–20 nominated chapter books; high school teams usually cover 20 nominated young adult titles each year. 

• Competitions take place in a quiz-bowl format, where teams buzz in and answer questions related to plot, characters, themes, and details from the books. 

• Local competitions are held in January (district level). Top teams advance through regional, divisional, and ultimately state finals, often held in early spring. 

• The program is sponsored and overseen by the Georgia Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Steering Committee, in partnership with the Georgia Association of Educators and the Georgia Library Media Association.

In short, the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl fosters a love of reading and literacy by engaging students in a friendly competition testing their knowledge of selected award-nominated books, while also promoting critical thinking, communication, and collaborative skills. Let me know if you'd like details on book lists, registration, or local participation in Georgia.