Bristol Eastern High School Reenacts 'Hunger Games'

Apparently, actress Jacqueline Emerson is not the only teen who studied The Hunger Games books in high school: the video above was made by the staff of Bristol Eastern High School in Connecticut, for the school's own version of the fictional competition in Suzanne Collins' bestselling novels and in the highly-anticipated movie adaptation coming out on March 23rd.

Teacher Janet Kenny dressed up as Effie Trinket to conduct the reaping and selected the names of one boy and one girl tribute from "districts" -- grades nine through 12. The students, or "tributes," then scrambled to collect items from the "cornucopia" in the middle of the gym. Two months into the games, the tributes competed in games related trivia, fashion, cake decorating, and archery. The lucky winner will receive a pair of tickets to see the film opening weekend.

Is this high school part of a larger trend of educators jumping on the HG bandwagon? A recent blog post on Schools as Ecosystems, a website for educators, compared Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's "Race to the Top" education initiative to The Hunger Games, because Duncan wanted to create some friendly competition among districts. (School districts, that is.)

Of course, given the violent nature of the books, many educators and parents are asking the question, "How long should I wait before letting children read The Hunger Games?" The Scholastic website sets the target age as grades six to eight, but some parents are arguing it is more appropriate for middle school or high school students. One Indiana parent points to a section in the second novel, Catching Fire, which describes young girls who sell their bodies to get food, as an example of perhaps too-mature themes for a pre-teen audience.

So, what do you think? Does your school teach The Hunger Games, and should it? Sound off in the comments below or tweet @HuffPostTeen!

Hunger Games in schools debated: wane.com

Comments

[ksl242000]

01:13 PM on 03/22/2012

This book is about the murdering of children by children. While it may at some point be appropriate for young ones to read, the subject matter is mature in nature and deserves caution and respect, respect for the possibilities - as gruesome as they might be - for what humankind is potentially capable of.

We should not, in any way, extoll or glamorize this most serious and violent story. While I can understand a guided reading with mature adults who can help young adults understand the implications, this story should in no way be replicated by schools substituting brutal murder with bake sales and fashion contests. It sends a terrible message; insidious and masked by make-believe magical thinking that signals agony and murder are easily substituted by make-up and cupcakes.

PS - I was surprised to see the movie rated PG-13. The content alone should have garnered an "R" rating. There is no shame among movie-makers and profit seekers that take advantage of our young minds and their chance for a peaceful future.

[Tuigim]

10:42 PM on 03/18/2012

Really misleading headline.

[johnb123]

03:34 PM on 03/18/2012

I'm just waiting for the republicans to make these books part of their manifesto. (A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature.)

[eilish]

02:45 PM on 03/18/2012

Having raised 9 kids I'd have to say that the boys under 13 or 14 might not understand HG, and I probably wouldn't want them to read it at that age regardless of the excellence of the writing. It's too eerily possible and I've always wanted kids to have a goofy and fairly care-free childhood without too many nightmares or questions of "Could this really happen in our world?" Evidence suggests that there are factions in our country headed in a direction that makes me pause in answering that one.

My high school students were allowed to read whatever they chose to although I did keep an eye on it (porn was not acceptable). I encouraged reading and discussion; most of the 9 loved it and still read today even with computers to distract.

Reading the Hunger Games did elucidate how this sort of thing could get started, how society could actually disintegrate into such madness. The inequality in America today bears inspection by the young, only they will prevent such a society; a broad education is key.