Reading helps WWE dream come true for NK student

Joshua is all smiles as he poses with his championship belt and the book “There’s a Boy in the Girl’s bathroom” that earned his trip to Wrestlemania 29 in New York City.

Andre' Jones photo

Reading is considered the bridge to foundations for careers and dreams to come true. For one George Watkins Elementary School student, he may never want to wake up after realizing one of his dreams.

Joshua Bendle, a fifth grader, won a trip to World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) Wrestlemania at Metlife Statium in New York City on April 7 through the Wrestlemania Reading Challenge contest.

The contest, sponsored by WWE, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), and American Library Association, selected Joshua as the South’s regional winner in the fifth and sixth grade division. The south region consists of 15 states.

GWES librarian Peg Noctor said the school has participated in the contest over the last five years, but no student had advanced this far. Until now.

“This year, the project was to have kids write a letter to their favorite wrestler and persuade them to read their favorite book,” said Noctor. “I was delighted and happy after I heard that Joshua was selected as the regional winner.”

Joshua read the book “There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom” by Louis Sachar. He wrote the letter to his favorite wrestler, John Cena.

“I told him the book was interesting and it inspires why boys don’t go in the girls’ bathroom,” said Joshua. “It was a good book to read.”

Joshua’s love for reading along with being an avid wrestling fan became a real motivator for entering the contest.

“When I heard about it I knew I wanted to do it,” said the fifth grader.

Joshua’s mother, Tina, encouraged her son to try it after he told her about the contest. Needless to say, she was shocked after receiving the call that her son won the region.

“The call was supposed to be in January,” she said. “When I got it in February, I couldn’t believe it. I called Mrs. Noctor and told her that Josh had won.”

As expected, Joshua’s reception to his victory overwhelmed him. His mother recorded his reaction on video where he expressed his excitement.

Joshua’s experiences in New York City included touring the city, participating in the national finals of the Wrestlemania Reading Challenge, and meeting several of the WWE superstars he watches on television.

Joshua entered a WWE ring during the company’s Axxess weekend, received prizes that included a WWE encyclopedia, t-shirt, and championship belt, and received tickets to the company’s biggest annual event. This year, Wrestlemania’s attendance was 80,464, with Josh and his mother as two of those people. The show, ironically, was Joshua’s first live WWE event.

“He’s usually in the bed around 7 p.m.,” his mother said, adding, “With the exception of Monday’s night, which is the night wrestling comes on.”

“It felt like a dream,” said the winner as he displayed pictures from his trip.

Memorabilia consisted of autographs, ticket stubs, empty bags, plane tickets, and a picture of WWE superstar the Miz (who co-hosted the finals of the competition) applying a headlock on Josh.

Joshua’s trip benefitted GWES as well. The school received a $2,000 prize to be applied towards new books for the library. The experience also opened the eyes of his mother as well.

“It was a big difference than what he sees on TV,” said Tina. “The wrestlers are friendly, they encourage him to read, and they are just good people.”

Joshua continues to read, and encourages others to do so as well.

“I really like WWE and other books,” he said. “Reading gets you this far and it got me to see the WWE.”

Joshua Bendle (third from left) participated in the finals of the Wrestlemania reading challenge along with other regional winners. WWE superstar The Miz is seated at far right.

WWE photo