WEST MILFORD Apshawa School recently held its “Battle of the Books” competitions. Over the past six months, 35 third and fourth grade students on eight teams read fifteen books. During the playoff competitions on April 24, each team answered ten questions about the books. Points were given for the correct titles, and bonus points for the correct authors. The two teams with the highest points competed against each other on May 1. This reading enrichment program was made possible by a grant from the West Milford Education Foundation, which was awarded to Margaret Koharian, library media specialist at Apshawa School. The grant money was used to pay for four sets of books, medals, trophies, and award certificates. The winning students in the playoffs were Jacy DiZenzo, Michal Kacsynski, James Taylor and Madison Alheidt on Team 5, and Matthew Drake, Sean Hammond, Vanessa Susen, Courtney Tietz, and Ashley Stanich on Team 8. They all received gold medals. Team 5 was the winner in the final battle and each team member received a small trophy. The following students also participated in the “Battle of the Books.” Team 1: Taylor Myshkoff, Daniel Clark, Nicole Terhune, and Dominica Carnuccio. Team 2: David Grycmacher, Samantha Mays, Paul Roth, and April DePrima. Team 3: David Moran, Courtney Gould, Jared Morgan, and Breanna Csakvary. Team 4: Sal Alessio, Elizabeth Weber, Emily Duvall, Jackie Hansen, and Austin Bailey. Team 6: Lindsey Perez, Lauren Moran, Kaylyn Cuozzo, Robert Wolfe, and Tatianna Estremera. Team 7: Jeffrey Phelps, Alexis Mantione, Haley Steele, and Victoria Kaspar. “Battle of the Books” is a national reading enrichment program designed for students in grades three through eight. It is entirely voluntary. Teams of students read the selected books on their own, and compete against each other by answering questions in a game show format. The original idea for “Battle of the Books” came from a radio program sponsored by the Chicago Public Library in the early 1940’s. A student participant in that show became a school librarian and reconstructed her memory of the radio show for use in her library. About ten years later, another Chicago area school librarian found her way to Kodiak, Alaska and took the “Battle of the Books” idea with her. She used it in Kodiak, and word of the program spread. Today, battles are held in every state.