Congratulations to the Winners of the Fall 2007
Middle School National Student Crew Contest!

Grand prize winners of a visit from season 5 “American Idol”® finalist Lisa Tucker and a $2,000 shopping spree for books include:

Gulf Middle School
Cape Coral, FL
Student Crew Count: 45 members
Book Fair Theme: GMS CREWship Getaway

Say hello to the Book Boat! On November 12, 2007, a fun-filled CREWship Getaway themed Book Fair sailed into Gulf Middle School to begin a weeklong reading event.

Manned by a 45-member CREW, the Book Boat anchored at Port Paradise, aka the media center. A huge painting of the Book Boat and a cut out of tacky tourists holding a bag of books welcomed visitors. On board was the boat's captain (the school’s courageous principal) and Doc Booker (the school’s caring assistant principal) who handed out prescriptions to students (good for a free book).

To celebrate the arrival of the Book Boat, a theme song was recorded for playback over announcements by a talented teacher. Wearing sailor hats, CREW members stirred up Book Fair excitement with creative contests daily and a Book Blogger station, set up to encourage students to go online to blog about favorite Book Fair picks.

The Book Fair’s Family Night entertained shoppers with steel drum music while they hunted for favorite books and previewed student-created reading projects. In addition, faculty members conducted Cruise to Success seminars as another way to attract parents to the Family Night. These free informational sessions hosted by the reading, science, and history teachers attracted participation by more than 200 families! All in all, Gulf Middle School fully utilized the talents and creativity of CREW members in every way to put on one of the coolest Book Fairs in the country!

Wiley Middle School
Leander, TX
Student Crew Count: 17
Book Fair Theme: Cirque des Livres

Everyone loves a circus, and everyone at Wiley Middle School loved Cirque des Livres (Circus of Books)! With committees focused on advertising, promotions, and contests, CREW members generated big-top excitement throughout the school community with their elaborate and creative theme.

Draped over the Book Fair environment was a huge 30-foot red and white canopy making the Book Fair difficult to miss. Circus music, the alluring aroma of popcorn popping, and circus props further created a festive and inviting environment.

Knowing that their Book Fair’s success would depend on their ability to attract parents and faculty to the Book Fair, the CREW dressed in clown attire and hosted a special breakfast and preview just for teachers. Sandwich girls (female CREW members wearing sandwich boards) walked the lunchroom, student drop-off areas, and the campus grounds to advertise the Fair. Student-made signage and banners invited guests to their three-ring affair. Karaoke singing contests among students, book-buying competitions among grade levels, and promotion of One for Books and Classroom Wish List activities motivated everyone to buy more books. CREW members even took the time to learn how to make animal balloons to attract families at their Family Night. With fun, games, and books, the highly energetic, creative CREW team of Wiley Middle School delivered an event that won’t soon be forgotten.

First place winners of a $1,000 shopping spree for books:

Vineland Middle School
Pueblo, CO
Student Crew Count: 19
Book Fair Theme: Winter Book Fair

’Twas a few weeks before the winter holidays, and all through Vineland Middle School, the CREW was planning one of their school’s most successful Book Fairs ever! The CREW spread joy with a winter-themed Book Fair, complete with Christmas trees, ornaments, and more! Faculty members joined the festivities at a special sneak peek of the Book Fair, where they filled out their own wish lists. And to add to the CREW’s winter wonderland, the team created a special coffee house to help generate funds to supplement book sales. The CREW truly got into the season of giving by participating in One for Books, and also using corporate donations and coffee house sales to give $5 gift certificates to every student in the school to spend at the Fair. The Vineland Middle School CREW truly made the Book Fair an event to remember!

Kings Mountain Intermediate School
Kings Mountain, NC
Student Crew Count: 24
Book Fair Theme: BSI (Book Scene Investigations)

Imagine seeing teachers taped to cafeteria walls with crime scene tape. At Kings Mountain Intermediate School, they did just that! It was all part of their school’s Book Scene Investigations themed Book Fair. The CREW convinced teachers to participate in the stunt when their 500-book goal was met. And if that wasn’t enough motivation for students to buy more books, when the students finally reached their 1,000-book goal, the CREW earned the right to throw pies at teachers during lunch. CREW members added to the “book scene” atmosphere by wearing lab coats and latex gloves, serving time in “jail” during a family event, and creating body outlines on the floor. When they weren’t busy investigating the scene, CREW members collected enough money through One for Books to purchase books for 50 students. After a week of incredible student and teacher involvement, Kings Mountain closed the case on its Book Fair.

Southwestern Middle School
Hanover, IN
Student Crew Count: 27
Book Fair Theme: Spooky Story Book Fair

Spiders, ghosts, and skeletons made their way to Southwestern Middle School’s Book Fair last fall. But don’t worry, they were invited. It was all part of the Spooky Story Book Fair. Because the Book Fair was so close to Halloween, the CREW decided to create a “spooktacular” event, complete with a haunted hall, fortune teller, storyteller, and students writing their own spooky stories and poems. The CREW hung a giant spider and cob webs over the Book Fair, and a Jean-in-the-Box welcomed customers when they arrived at the Fair. The CREW members’ tie-died shirts made them stand out in the crowd, and the CREW worked hard to create their own posters, bulletin boards, and decorations to advertise the Book Fair. The CREW used its talent and creativity to make the Fair one spooky event to remember!

The Davis Academy
Atlanta, GA
Student Crew Count: 27
Book Fair Theme: Spotlight on Reading With Davis Idol

Did you ever wish you could be in the spotlight on “American Idol?” Last fall, The Davis Academy’s CREW took center stage during their Davis Idol themed Book Fair. Booktalks were performed during morning assemblies, and the competition heated up with a grade-level book buying war (the sixth grade won). The CREW transformed the media center with posters, inflatable guitars, microphones, and streamers. CREW members invited teachers to the big event with Davis Idol water bottle invitations, and a special teacher sneak peek was hosted in a “Star-Books Café” lounge. To spread the buzz about the Fair, the CREW hung hundreds of posters, wrote letters to members of the school community, decorated the school’s windows, and created a Web site. The Davis Academy Book Fair rocked … thanks to the Crew!

Congratulations to all contest entrants for participating and especially to our national winners!