CPS Hosts Third Annual Battle of the Books

100 Teams Compete in Elementary Reading Contest

            WHO:                          Jordan Sonnenblick, author, “Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie”

                                                More than 600 elementary students from 63 elementary schools citywide

            WHAT:                       Reading competition on 21 books among 100 school teams

            WHEN:                       Saturday, April 26

                                                8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

                                                12:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Finals and trophy presentation

            WHERE:                     Daniel Hale Williams Preparatory School of Medicine

                                                4934 S. Wabash Ave.                                     

            More than 600 students will compete Saturday in the third annual Battle of the Books competition, sponsored by the CPS Department of Libraries and Information Services.  The competition pits 100 teams from 63 schools against each other in a knowledge-based competition about 20 books and one digital book.

            Student teams will compete in groups of four to six students, amassing points through three rounds; the three teams with the highest scores will compete in the championship round.  This year, Scholastic has generously sponsored Jordan Sonnenblick, author of “Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie” from the 7^th/8^thgrade title list as a special guest moderator to read the final round of competition questions to the participants.  Sonnenblick was recently announced the winner of the 2008 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award.

            Teams are comprised of students in two categories:  fourth through sixth grade, and seventh and eighth grade.  Each category has a separate list of 20 books and one digital book.  Students were given the book list in September.  While not all students will have read all the books, every book will have been read by at least one team member, who is the expert on that book.  Students score points for answering content questions about the books, with bonus points for giving the full name of the author.

            The event is sponsored by donations from TCF Bank, American Girl, Scholastic Books, Borders Books, Jewel/Osco, Advertising.com, Charles Schwab, Harper-Collins and Random House Publishers and private donations. These donations have provided books for the students and school libraries, trophies for the winners, T-shirts and medals for all participants, as well as volunteers, transportation and refreshments for the event.

2008 Elementary Battle of the Books – participating schools

CPS Elementary Battle of the Books 2007

Reading List

* Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award winner                                                                                                                         

** Titles are available on the International Children’s Digital Library at www.childrenslibrary.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:                                         Brian Brady                              Diana Nelson

312-439-9637 (cell)                 312-961-4929 (cell)

Chicago High School Students Map Out Youth Solutions to Neighborhood Crises

Mikva Challenge youth not only work as election judges, provide campaign muscle for political candidates on both sides of the aisle, and support peace rallies, but they also work all year long to solve problems they care about through Mikva sponsored Issues to Action projects.  Press is invited to attend this year’s judging of 40 Civic Action Projects on Saturday, April 26^th, at National Louis University (122 S. Michigan Ave. from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm). 

Over 200 Chicago High School Students will showcase their yearlong activism work at the Mikva Challenge Civics Fair.  “From issues of violence and safety, pregnancy or sexual health, young people don’t take no for an answer when it comes to issues they care about,” says Issues to Action director Brenan Smith.  “These young people have worked all year to take action on these issues.”

Judges, who include members of the Mikva Challenge Board of Directors and other prominent Chicagoans, will hear presentations, interview and rank the work of these Chicago high school students.  Students in the Mikva Challenge Issues to Action program are taught how to dissect an issue and turn it into a civic action project, eventually taking action to make a change.  This year students held rallies, passed petitions, confronted public officials and the school administration, started student groups and mentoring programs, led student education and awareness days, and started cross-city and cross-school youth groups. 

Miriam Martinez, a Mikva Challenge Alumni and past Civics Fair participant, says “These projects demonstrate that young people can reach way beyond the expectations most adults have of them.  We take the initiative to create change within our own communities, and empower each other throughout the process.  Not only does this program change us, it changes our schools and communities.”

The Mikva Challenge was created to honor former federal appellate court Judge, Congressman, and White House Counsel, Abner Mikva and his wife, Zoe, a former teacher and lifelong activist.  The organization’s mission is to develop the next generation of civic leaders by actively engaging youth in the democratic process today.

Students will be available to answer questions from the press throughout the morning, 10:00 – 12:00. A selected list of specific projects is attached.

Examples of Projects

✪ Roberto Clemente Community Academy

Lobbying to Reduce Violence

We wanted to reduce youth violence by improving educational opportunities.  We traveled with CPS to Springfield to support an Illinois bill that would limit the number of handguns that a person could purchase, as well as to support legislation that would improve school funding equality in our state.

✪ Curie Metropolitan High School

Sophomore Forefront: Special Needs Students 

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