Tayler Drake of Glendale Primary School Reads 700 Books to Win Contest

Nearly 1,500 Northeast Ohio students read more than 75,000 books as part of ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½¿ª½±â€™s 50 Book Challenge.

Young bibliophiles in grades 3 and under were invited to read 50 books between September 2014 and May 2015, in celebration of ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½¿ª½±â€™s 50th anniversary. The contest was sponsored by the Center for Excellence and Innovation in Education, an outreach office of ÀÏ°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½¿ª½±â€™s College of Education and Human Services that provides services, resources and collaborative professional learning to area schools, districts and education-oriented programs.

Students who participated in the 50 Book Challenge marked their progress in reading journals that were submitted at the end of the academic year for recognition.

• Tayler Drake of Glendale Primary School in Bedford was . She read 700 books. For her achievement, Tayler won tickets to Kalahari Waterpark.
• Tony Petrie of Notre Dame Elementary School in Chardon was the first student to read 50 books – as well as the first to cross the 100-book threshold. He won a family membership to Lake Metroparks Farmpark.
• Burton Elementary School in Burton had all eligible students complete the 50 Book Challenge to become the first 50 Book Champion School.
• Almira PreK–8 Academy was the first school in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to have all eligible classes complete the 50 Book Challenge.

All 50 Book Champions received a backpack full of prizes. They also were eligible for a random prize drawing. The winners of the latter drawing were:

• Damien Brown of Glendale Primary School (Bedford): Kalahari Waterpark tickets
• John Fetterman of Burton Elementary School (Burton): iPad
• Jayla Gartrell of Glendale Primary School (Bedford): Cleveland Museum of Art family membership
• Michael Hill of St. Paul Lutheran School (Westlake): Cleveland Children’s Museum family membership
• Devin Jeffery of Campus International School (Cleveland): Great Lakes Science Center family membership
• Eleanore Loudon of St. Thomas More School (Brooklyn): Cleveland Botanical Garden family membership
• Billy Verbic of Ledgemont Elementary School (Thompson): Cleveland Museum of Natural History family membership
• Jaxson Zarzour of Burton Elementary School (Burton): Cleveland Zoo family membership

For a complete list of 50 Book Champion Classrooms, please visit .