Ben Gamla Students Crowned Champions of the 2016 Grand Battle of the Books – Elementary Division

Battle of the Books - Ben Gamla 2016Palm Beach, FL –Reading has turned into a competitive sport at Ben Gamla Charter School. For months, students at the K-5 public charter school in Boynton Beach have been reading over a dozen books as part of the 2015-2016 Battle of the Books – a reading incentive program that encourages 3rd to 12th grade students to read incredible books and have fun while competing with their peers.  Over sixty enthusiastic readers joined the Battle of the Books after-school club. As deadlines approached, the club narrowed down to a committed and inspired bunch of twenty. Four Ben Gamla teams entered the Battle of the Books competition to compete against over 700 teams within the Palm Beach County School District.

To prepare for the Battle, students read books at school and in their free time and came together in groups for weekly meetings to train.  The students had to demonstrate their intricate knowledge of the books they have read. During the competition, student teams earned points by answering questions about the books on the book lists during a timed online battle. At the end of the day, points were totaled and the two teams with the most points were invited to a “Grand Battle” televised at the local TV studio. Ben Gamla Charter School students took home 1st place in the Elementary School category, beating out a two-time record holding school competitor for the title of 2016 Grand Battle of the Books champion.

“We were amazed by the dedication and passion that our students demonstrated during this experience.  The kids encouraged each other daily to keep up with their reading goals that they set out for themselves. During the process they have learned perseverance and resilience while establishing life-long friendships,” said Erica Cender & Rose Morris, Battle of the Books coaches.

“Our students were incredibly motivated to read and prepare for the competition,” said Elanit Weizman, Principal. “Team members met weekly to discuss the books they were reading and quiz each other. It was a great team building exercise that made learning incredibly fun.”

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Pictured (left to right): Ben Gamla teacher and Battle of the Books coach Rose Morris, Jacqueline Bernstein (3rd grade), Raquel Korff (5th grade), Sophia Golberg (5th grade), and Ben Gamla teacher and Battle of the Books coach Erica Cender celebrate their big win.

About Ben Gamla Charter School – Ben Gamla Charter School was the first English-Hebrew Charter School in the United States. With campuses in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade County, Ben Gamla Charter integrates Hebrew instruction giving their students a useful tool in our global society. Ben Gamla Boynton Beach is located at 8600 Jog Road.

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