|
More than
150 students in grades 4 to 6 from 28 public schools will do battle
starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 13 at the second annual Battle
of the Books at the Santa Barbara County Education Office auditorium.
More than just another competition, Battle of the Books is a great reading
incentive program,” explained County Superintendent Bill Cirone,
whose office coordinates the event.
“A state committee of librarians compiles a list of 30 books that
each participating student must read,” he explained.
Two teams composed of six students apiece compete against each other
by answering 20 comprehension questions based on those books.
The students must agree upon and offer their answers as a group, which
emphasizes teamwork rather than individual ability.
“Last year’s inaugural event received such an enthusiastic
response that this year the schools were clamoring for spaces and it
filled very quickly,” explained Matt Zuchowicz, coordinator of
instructional media services, the department that conducts the Battle.
“Twenty-eight county public schools, ranging from Santa Maria to
Carpinteria, will each send a team of six students, grades 4-6, for
a total of 168 students,” he said.
“Once here, the teams will be re-blended so that no one school
competes against another. This year the winning team will go on to compete
at the state level for the first time.”
Regardless of who wins the final Battle, no one goes away empty-handed.
Zuchowicz solicited prizes from local businesses so that each participant
will go home with gift certificates and coupons. This year businesses
throughout the county have responded with even greater enthusiasm to
the request for donated prizes, he said.
Further information is available from Zuchowicz at 964-4711, ext 5222.
|
News
Release