CHAMPIONSHIP
HONES SKILLS

By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

Temple Terrace students flexed the muscles of their minds during a recent go ‘round in preparation for the “real deal” that’s yet to come.
Teams from Lewis Elementary School, Pizzo Elementary School, Riverhills Elementary School and Temple Terrace Elementary School matched wits at the Temple Terrace Championship April 18 at Florida College.
They read 18 books previously selected by committees of media specialists and teachers in order to compete in the Area Battle of the Books against other elementary school student teams from throughout the county.
Each team participated in three rounds of questions about the books they read. For most of the questions, students answered by giving the title of that particular book or the author of the book.
The championship battle was only a practice round, according to Dale Adams, member of the Temple Terrace Kiwanis. Adams helped get the funding and sponsors to pay for the goody bags, trophies and medals. He also read all 18 books and wrote the questions for the battle.
“This is the second year we have done this,” Adams said. “I have been at the area battle downtown so many times and seen the kids choke. I thought if we had a Temple Terrace Area battle, then we could help the kids get a little more experience.”
Adams enjoys working with the children, which is why he also spends some of his free time reading to children, has been a judge for the downtown battle for years and is also involved in the Terrific Kids program.
“I always read all the books,” Adams said. “I liked ‘The Boy Who Spoke Dog’ the best. All the books were good this year. I wrote the questions for the battle at home and I didn’t use any of the school’s printers or copiers, so the questions would not be leaked.”
Even though the Pizzo Elementary School team won the Temple Terrace Championship, it will still go downtown for the Area Battle, April 25, at the Tampa Convention Center.
“All the children are going to the area battle,” Adams said. “This is just a learning experience meant to simulate the Area Battle downtown.”
Gary Golomb, media specialist at Pizzo, said he was very proud of all the students.
“They all did a great job,” Golomb said. “They worked hard. They started in the fall and most have read all the books. It is great because they all put forth their own effort to read those books.”
LaDamien Oliver, Miguel Lopez, Jamie Prichard and Aya Constant are the members of the winning team for Pizzo.
LaDamien Oliver, alternate for the team, said he read all the books and studied very hard.
“I knew we would win, because I studied a lot and I am fast on the buzzer,” Oliver said. “I had a lot of fun.”
Lopez said he wishes there were other similiar activities offered.
“I wish I could do this all the time,” Lopez said. “It was fun and challenging. I had to read a lot of books, but my favorite was the ‘Crypted Hunters.’”
Team captain Prichard said she had a great time during the mini battle, but her favorite part was getting the goody bag and the trophies. Goodie bags contained books, a duck, pens, pencils, candy and more.
“It was the first time our school has got a trophy,” Prichard said. “My favorite part was when our team received the trophy. I am really glad we got to win.”
Constant said she is looking forward to the next battle.
“We had fun, because we got to work as a team,” she said.
Students in the battle were cheered on by teachers, parents and fellow students.
For information, visit www1.sdhc.k12.fl.us/mediaweb/elem/read/Bob/Bob.htm.