Press release:

A team of fourth and fifth graders from Parkside Elementary School in Des Moines has won the title of Central Regional Champions in King County Library System’s twelfth annual “Global Reading Challenge” on March 6.

Teams representing the Highline and Tukwila school districts advanced to this round of the challenge after participating in a quiz bowl based on ten books given to the school by the youth librarians from the King County Library System.

The winning team from this round will represent their region at the Grand Challenge. All four regions will compete in this final on March 23.

Grand Challenge winners will take back to their school a trophy and a gold medal neck drape for each team member. David Patneaude, author of Thin Wood Walls, will be the featured author at the Grand Challenge.

The “Global Reading Challenge” program is modeled after the popular “Battle of the Books.”

In 2001, the first Global Challenge in King County was initiated with two schools and 42 students. This year the program includes 53 schools and over 1900 students, and has generated enormous enthusiasm among participants as well as their parents, peers, and teachers, by creating an opportunity to foster and express a love of books and reading across all reading levels.

This event is sponsored by the King County Library System and the King County Library System Foundation with funding by the Stocker Foundation.