Readers Rally celebrates 20th anniversary of reading champions

     Celebrating 20 years of reading, exploration, teamwork, and the joy of literacy, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) hosted its annual Readers Rally competition in February. This year’s initial competition hosted 87 impressive teams, which included 15 high schools, 21 middle schools, and 51 elementary schools. Teams were narrowed down, and the following competitors remained:

High School Finalists:

• Paul Duke STEM High School
• Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology

Middle School Semifinalists:

• Couch Middle School
• McConnell Middle School
• North Gwinnett Middle School
• Shiloh Middle School

Elementary School Semifinalists:

• Burnette Elementary School
• Fort Daniel Elementary School
• Ivy Creek Elementary School
• Suwanee Elementary School

     “Celebrating 20 years of Readers Rally is an exciting milestone for Library Media Services. For two decades, the program has introduced students to the best of modern children’s literature and brought readers together from across the district,” says Coordinator of Library Media Instruction Traci Costilow. “Through this shared love of books, Readers Rally has helped build a vibrant, supportive community of young readers who challenge themselves, cheer each other on, and form lifelong connections to reading.”

Each team uses a specific list of books that they read and study to prepare for the competition.

     In alignment with the district’s Blueprint in Action, opportunities like this allow students to focus on literacy from the start of their educational journey with GCPS, with participation extending to the high school level. Readers Rally encourages students to interact with and grasp key details of each book they read in this quiz-bowl style competition.

     “A standout moment from this year’s championship was the incredibly intense finish in the middle school division,” Costilow continues. “Each team fought hard for the lead, making every answer and every second count. Championship day is always intense for both players and judges, as accuracy and fair procedure are essential to ensuring a rewarding experience for all teams involved.”

The following schools were victorious in this year's championship competition, held earlier this month:

• High School Champion: Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
• Middle School Champion: North Gwinnett Middle
• Elementary School Champion: Burnette Elementary

During the championship, students were broadcast on television with the help of the GCPS TV Broadcast Team.

Here’s to 20 years of celebrating literacy and student achievement in Gwinnett County Public Schools!

For more information about Readers Rally, please visit the district website.