Congratulations to the Winners of Our Fall 2012 Elementary National Contest!
Our first-place winner and recipient of a visit from best-selling author Dav Pilkey plus 2,000 Scholastic Dollars™ is:
Jo Ann Ford Elementary School
Chairperson: Lynda Bishop
Georgetown, TX
Jo Ann Ford Elementary kicked off their best Book Fair ever with a Kick-Off Party featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony with school district officials, students and families. The middle school band provided music while participants entered the Fair through an inflatable tunnel (just like ones found at football games) to the encouragement of school cheerleaders. To build excitement for reading and books, students were involved in multiple activities leading up to and during the Fair including a 100,000 minute reading challenge, classroom curriculum projects, and All for Books challenge.
Teachers and administrators got in the act too with a Teacher Sneak Peek, classroom door decorating, and a What Would You Do for Reading® challenge between the principal and vice-principal. Students could vote for their choice to cheer on their rival football team – one vote for each book purchased. Volunteers transformed the library into a football stadium complete with cheerleaders, ticket booth, and field.
Events especially for parents helped draw families to the Fair: “Starbooks” and Muffins drew parents to a private shopping event, and an All-Star Tailgate Party drew families to the Fair with games, grilled hot dogs and a dodgeball tournament with over 125 participants. Grands were invited to a special Saturday event for crafts, reading together, and book shopping. Residents of a nearby retirement community came by to participate with students whose grands could not attend. The Fair concluded with a Wrap It Up and Read Rally featuring performances, and the PE Coach being doused with water by kids for reaching their reading goals.
Congratulations to Jo Ann Ford Elementary School students, staff, and parents for making their Book Fair such a great event!
Second-place winners of 1,000 Scholastic Dollars are:
McGarity Elementary School
Chairperson: Angie Dennis
Hiram, GA
“Our Book Fair is Sweet” was the theme of the school’s fall Book Fair. Candy themed decorations covered every inch of the library and made all the shoppers smile. Volunteers and Junior Crew made 3-D cupcakes, candy, ice cream cones, and lollipops. A six-foot tall gingerbread house was included along with a chocolate “swamp.” Cupcake “banks” for each teacher were created for All for Books containers. A coin war was started and the "winner" was turned into a human banana split. Teachers who did not want the honor encouraged their students to contribute to another colleague’s bank.
To help advertise the Fair, info was added to the school’s website, social media site, on the morning news, and in letters to parents. Students dressed as a gingerbread girl and ice cream snack and advertised with sandwich boards at car pool lines and during lunch. Family Night was a real treat as ice cream sundaes were on the menu along with book shopping. Goodies with Grands was a huge success with loved ones buying books for their sweethearts. The Fair wrapped up with a Book Fair Rally for all students. Contest winners were announced and prizes awarded.
St. Timothy’s Lutheran School
Chairperson: Chris Hindenes
San Jose, CA
Inspired by the summer Olympic Games, the school incorporated the theme into their Book Fair. Classes made art projects specifically for the Book Fair, which helped build excitement. Several guests came to the school to talk to students about their sports accomplishments and share their love of reading. The PE teacher promoted the Fair two months prior to support All for Books. Students ran laps in PE classes and were awarded mile marker cards. The cards were used to exchange for books at the Fair – all supported by the PE teacher and her love of reading! At the family event, students dressed as athletes and sang a song to introduce their special guest reader.
Decorations included a large stage and hanging flags from around the world. A “torch” was lit the entire week of the Fair. Oversized medals and trophies and red, white, and blue banners were hung from the walls. A grand event brought more families to the Book Fair and added even more excitement to the week-long event.
Union Elementary School
Chairperson: Heather Wyatt
Temple, GA
The school’s Book Fair surpassed the goal set by their principal, so the assistant principal was duct-tapped to a wall wearing their college football rival’s hat. That was just part of the fun the school created around books and reading that made their Fair so successful. Students all attended a Book Fair lesson in the media center prior to the Fair, and a Book Fair parade was held with each class marching into the gymnasium to the cheers from parents. The Rally that followed included volunteer fathers doing a dance, a balloon popping competition, and teacher dress-up contest. A huge family event was held and parents were encouraged to wear jerseys of their favorite sports teams. Other events for families include a Grandparent’s Night, Muffins for Moms, and Donuts for Dads.
More than $1,600 was raised with an All for Books change war. The winning classroom won a tailgate party sponsored by the volunteer dads. The Fair was thoroughly advertised on the school’s website, through social media, blogging, flyers, and letters to parents.
Woodward North Academy
Chairperson: Michele Rosenthal
Johns Creek, GA
The Book Fair is THE event in the fall season for Woodward North Academy. More than 80 parent volunteers and school staff make up the team that works together to make sure students find the joy in reading and excitement in books. Six weeks prior to the Fair, advance publicity began. The Fair started on a Friday with a special out-of-uniform day – a BIG DEAL for students -- where students and staff were encouraged to wear their favorite sports jerseys. A kick-off rally on Friday morning was a new event and their school’s principal booktalked several books for students. Later that day was the family event featuring dinner, DJ, games, and book shopping. Another new feature of family night was student council members working as the Junior Crew. Equipped with clipboards, Fair maps, and book reading levels, they helped parents find right fit books for their kids.
The following week, class visits to the Book Fair began. Parents were encouraged to attend the class visits, and a parent volunteer was assigned to any child whose parents could not attend. Each class was greeted by a Book Fair host who highlighted top picks, and promoted All for Books and Classroom Wish Lists. Almost $800 was donated in spare change and more than $5,000 contributed to help build classroom libraries.
Click here to see who won the President’s Award for Exceptional Performance.
President's Award for Exceptional Performance winners (who win 500 Scholastic Dollars) are:
President’s Award for Exceptional Performance (Advertising):
Wilmington Christian School
Chairperson: Lois Brooks
Hockessin, DE
The fall Book Fair provided an opportunity to incorporate current technology to capture students’ attention and showcase books and authors. QR Code technology was used to captivate students with embedded booktalks, animated book trailers, and author background information. Utilizing a free QR Code Reader app on smart phones and tablets, this new technology gave students a peek at books, authors, and generated meaningful conversation and generated new enthusiasm for reading. Middle and High School students at the K-12 school helped create the codes and embed the information. Students took ownership of the Fair and were more vocal about their purchases, even writing reviews that were used as decorations around the Fair.
President’s Award for Exceptional Performance (All for Books):
Independence Elementary School
Chairpersons: Jennifer Marr and Cheryl Harte
Lewisville, TX
These first-time chairpeople realized that many of their school’s students would not be able to afford to buy a book at the Book Fair as the demographics at the school make it a 65% Title 1 school. Instead of becoming disillusioned, they brainstormed an idea to use social media to help raise money via an online crowdfunding website to help broaden their fundraising plan. They produced a short video and ran it for 18 days. Their goal was to raise $6,600 so that each of their underprivileged students could buy three books. Their campaign created a chain reaction of generosity that raised more than $7,100, and excited the whole school community. The extra amount raised was used to build classroom libraries, and purchase books for the school library. They were able to double the number of books purchased at previous Book Fairs – and doubled students’ smiles as well! To wrap up, thank you letters were sent by students, teachers, and parents to the All for Books donors.
President’s Award for Exceptional Performance (Decorations):
Leo R. Croce Elementary School
Chairperson: Judy Park
Livermore, CA
Book Fair Luau was the perfect theme for sparking ideas and creating an immersive experience for the school’s students. The principal allowed an unused classroom to be used for the Fair, which allowed for extended preparations to take place. Volunteers explored decorating ideas months prior and traveled more than 400 miles to collect just the right elements. Real bamboo was used to construct an exterior entrance and a cashier station hut. Tiki decorations outside announced the Fair’s arrival. The awesome decorating plan helped boost student interest in reading, books, and attending the Book Fair.
President’s Award for Exceptional Performance (Family Event):
Highline Academy Charter School
Chairperson: Lisa Dewane
Denver, CO
Late Night at the Book Fair was a literacy event all families were encouraged to attend. Parent volunteers hosted a movie night for students, while parents attended the literacy events hosted by the librarian and literacy intervention coordinator. Presentations on early literacy and public library programs were provided by literacy teachers and community librarians. In addition, every family was signed up to receive a community library card. After the presentations, the Book Fair was open all night for parents to shop and find the “just right” book for their child.
President’s Award for Exceptional Performance (Grand Event):
Castle Heights Elementary School
Chairperson: Roz Gallet, Co-Chairperson: Rhonda Gelfond
Los Angeles, CA
The school hosted two Grand Event lunches, which set new attendance records with more than 250 grand attendees. The two lunch events are the only time during the school year grands are invited to have lunch with students and are heavily promoted with email, and social media postings. The school principal was on hand to greet each attendee and helped them find places to eat with their students. Each Book Fair was packed with shoppers at each event and the two represented more than 50% of total Book Fair sales. Strong support from parent volunteers during the events contributed to their success.
President’s Award for Exceptional Performance (Principal/Faculty Involvement):
JV Washam Elementary School
Chairperson: Mari Kirchner
Cornelius, NC
The Book Fair receives tremendous support from the school’s principal and Assistant Principal. Together they drive excitement and participation in the All for Books loose change drive. The boys versus girls competition heats up with each classroom decorating themed donation jars. Both school leaders cheer on students via morning announcements. Prizes were awarded for best decorated container and for most donations raised, and the “losing” team leader had to dress as a cheerleader on the morning news. Best of all, the friendly competition raised more than $4,600 used to purchase books for the media center and classrooms.
President’s Award for Exceptional Performance (Student Engagement):
King’s Ridge Christian School
Chairperson: Jennifer Mills
Alpharetta, GA
The Fair opened with their annual Book Fair Parade and fall Celebration of Reading family night. Music, games, and food created a festive atmosphere for families and created long lines of book shoppers. The Fair was promoted by talented students who made a commercial shown on the morning news. The media specialist dressed to the All-Star theme and promoted the Fair leading up to the event. The principal and reading specialists handed out reading tickets to anyone found reading a book. Anyone receiving a ticket had a chance to win a prize at the Book Fair.
The school’s atrium was transformed by parent volunteers into an All-Star setting which amazed students and built excitement for reading. Giving back to the community is an important part of the Book Fair. The school raised more than $1,300 through All for Books, which was used to provide books to homeless children in the community.
President’s Award for Exceptional Performance (Theme):
Prestonwood Elementary School
Chairperson: Melynda Smith
Dallas, TX
The school created their own theme, Book Fair Fiesta that embraced the largest demographic segment of their student body. The efforts of the Book fair team paid off, resulting in the largest student participation in the school’s history. To get the party started, volunteers decorated the outside of the school with bright, hand-painted maracas and chili peppers. Other decorations were used throughout the school, announcing to students, families and staff that “the Book Fair is here!” An evening event pińata party was held for families and teachers took turns batting at three giant pińatas stuffed with candy and Book Fair prizes. It was an overwhelming success that resulted in a packed library full of book shoppers.
