Our School Shines at Battle of the Books!

Last week marked an exciting milestone for our school as we participated in the Battle of the Books competition for the very first time! Hosted at Stetson University in partnership with Volusia County Schools, this thrilling academic event brought together 30 elementary schools from across the county to showcase their reading comprehension and teamwork skills in a fun-filled trivia competition.

The event focused on ten Sunshine State Young Reader Award (SSYRA) books, which our team of passionate young readers had been studying and discussing since before Christmas Break. These books, selected annually for their engaging stories and literary merit, became the foundation for dozens of challenging questions that tested the students’ memory, attention to detail, and love of reading.

Representing our school were five outstanding 3rd–5th grade students:

• Jonaulia Russell

• Carter Tudeen

• Carlos Develasco

• Noah Forand

• Sarah Brown

Under the guidance of our dedicated coaches, Mrs. Lagana and Ms. Beltram, our students brought their A-game! In the first round, they delivered a flawless performance, answering 10 out of 10 questions correctly. In the second round, they followed up with a strong 8 out of 10, finishing with an impressive total score of 18 out of 20. That score earned them 7th place overall, placing them just one point away from advancing to the final tie-breaker round with the top six teams.

We are incredibly proud of their hard work, sportsmanship, and commitment to excellence. This experience not only celebrated their academic talents but also encouraged a deeper love for reading, collaboration, and healthy competition.

If you’re a student in grades 3–5 and would like to be part of next year’s Battle of the Books team, we encourage you to reach out! This is a fantastic opportunity to engage with great books, build friendships, and represent our school in a fun and challenging setting.

For more information or to express interest, please email: Mrs. Lagana at LaganaV@burnsscitech.org or Ms. Beltram at BeltramK@burnsscitech.org

Middle school students—great news! We’re excited to announce that a Battle of the Books team for grades 6–8 will be forming soon. Stay tuned for details on how to get involved!

We’re so proud of our team’s performance and can’t wait to see more students join the fun next year. Way to go, readers—you truly made your mark!