Submitted by Success By 6
FULTON, NY - Success By 6, an initiative of the United Way of Greater Oswego County, has kicked off a new program to stimulate reading motivation in students throughout Oswego County.
The new Battle of the Books program will allow students to pit their literary knowledge against students from other Oswego County schools.
Students from the Phoenix School District are competing in the new Success By 6, Battle of the Books program. In the back row from left are: Kyle Huniford, Elizabeth Russell, Shaun Turner, Jessica Lord, and Emma Brunell. In the front row are: Kylee Hughes, Dylan Borza, Ian Evans, and Paul Boone.
Noreen Phillips, coordinator of the Success By 6 program explains, “Battle of the Books is designed to encourage and recognize students who enjoy reading. Involvement in the program will benefit the students by broadening their reading interests, increasing their reading comprehension, and promoting academic excellence. School districts will form reading teams that read books from a select list, discuss them and quiz each other on them. The teams will then compete with other participating schools in a county-wide Battle of the Books.”
Phillips said that Phoenix was the first school district to sign up and have nearly sixty students reading and preparing to compete for the opportunity to represent their school at the county competition.
"Our kids are very excited about this competition and their enthusiasm is spreading to the other children,” said Phoenix School Librarian and Media Specialist Molly Clark. “It has sparked a lot if interest in reading and the library. The support from parents has been outstanding as well. Several are reading the books along with their children. We are all looking forward to the competition."
Rita Racette, superintendent of the Phoenix School District is pleased with the participation she has seen from her schools.
"We are so proud to have ten teams of students representing Phoenix Central School District in Battle of the Books. Special thanks go to School Librarian and Media Specialist Molly Clark for all of her hard work in organizing this effort. Mrs. Clark and all of us appreciate the importance that Battle of the Books places on students engaging in reading for enjoyment and learning," said Racette.
Phillips added that other county schools are in the process of putting their teams together and that she anticipates the program to begin in earnest later this month.
Success By 6 is an initiative of the United Way of Greater Oswego County.
It strives to increase the effectiveness of the community to meet the needs of children up to age six and their families. By sharing information and exploring new collaborations for service delivery, Success By 6 seeks to mobilize resources to ensure all children are physically, socially, emotionally and behaviorally able to learn when entering school.
For more information on the Battle of the Books, contact Phillips at 593-1900.
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