Students celebrate reading and teamwork in friendly district-wide showdowns
Fairfield, CA (May 29, 2025) – The spirit of literacy, collaboration, and academic enthusiasm took over as students gathered for two much-anticipated 2025 FSUSD Battle of the Books events - one for elementary and one for middle school students.
On May 15th, an incredible energy filled Cordelia Hills Elementary as over 70 students from 18 elementary schools across FSUSD came together for the Elementary Battle of the Books competition. The site buzzed with excitement as students participated in this annual contest - a true celebration of reading. Families, educators, and school staff lined the venue—some cheering with handmade posters, others capturing every proud moment on camera—as students put their literary knowledge and teamwork skills to the test.
This year’s competition was built around a carefully curated list of six books, including three 2024–2025 California Young Reader Medal nominees and three additional selections chosen for their diverse characters, settings, and genres. FSUSD’s team of eight dedicated teacher librarians played an integral role—selecting titles, crafting hundreds of questions, forming student teams, and organizing school site battles in preparation for the district-wide competition.
For middle school, the event was a virtual culmination of six months of reading and literary discovery. After reading six books over a six month period, students from across the district came together virtually. Students competed in a spirited test of knowledge, teamwork, and reading comprehension. Students participated in monthly battles against other schools, coached by a teacher at their site. Each Battle of the Books event showcased their dedication, critical thinking skills, and their shared love of stories that connect and inspire.
This year, a total of eight schools joined the middle school challenge, engaging readers and celebrating a love of books across the district. The participating schools were Green Valley Middle School, Public Safety Academy, Oakbrook, Crystal Middle School, Grange Middle School, Wilson Middle School, Matt Garcia Career and College Academy, and Sheldon Academy.
“Watching our students come together around a shared love of books is a powerful reminder of what education is truly about,” said Jenn Roush, FSUSD Assistant Director, Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. “It’s more than a competition—it’s a celebration of the curiosity, determination, and joy that reading can inspire.”
Superintendent Jennifer Sachs added, “FSUSD is proud to host this annual event, which highlights the power of student voice, teamwork, and the transformative impact of literacy.”
Throughout each event, student teams demonstrated a deep understanding of the stories and themes, eagerly whispering strategies and pooling knowledge to recall character quotes, plot twists, and critical scenes. The collaborative energy was palpable, showcasing not only students’ comprehension skills but also their passion for reading and ability to work as a team.
After a series of closely contested rounds, the 2025 district champions were KI Jones Elementary and Green Valley Middle in their respective competitions. Second place for Elementary went to the FSUSD’s Virtual Academy and Cordelia Hills Elementary—last year’s winners—earned third. For the middle school contest, Public Safety Academy achieved second place and Oakbrook took third. As tradition holds, next year’s in-person event for the Elementary Battle of the Books will be hosted by the winning elementary school, KI Jones.