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2008 READ 180 All-Stars
Scholastic
congratulates the nine student winners of the 5th annual READ 180
All-Star Awards!
Nine winners were selected from more than 300 nominees across the United States. The READ 180® All-Star Awards, was created to honor adolescents nationwide who have learned to read despite formidable odds. Through dedication and hard work – and the help of their incredible teachers – they have turned their lives around and are an inspiration to their peers nationwide.
The nine READ 180 All-Stars each receive a $1,200 check from Scholastic to be used towards furthering their education, and the winning students’ nominating teachers receive $1,000 worth of Scholastic READ 180 books and materials for their classrooms.
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The 2008 READ 180 All-Stars are: |
| Stage A |
 Kevin
Franklin Elementary, Manitowoc, WI
Kevin fell behind in school from the start, and struggled so much with reading that in as early as third grade he said he wanted to quit. Decoding basic words was so difficult for him that he developed a reading stutter, which eventually began to impact his speech. After a year and a half of hard work on his reading, Kevin is in his school's gifted program – and his stutter is gone. “READ 180 has helped me to gain confidence in myself and to know I can succeed,” Kevin said. |
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 Britteney
Ramona Elementary, Moreno Valley, CA
Britteney had always struggled with reading and writing and, without successful intervention, might never have had a chance of succeeding. At the beginning of the fourth grade, Britteney's reading scores showed she read below the first grade level, and after a year and a half of reading intervention, she is now reading with her fifth grade peers. And she's spreading her new-found love of books by reading to her little brother. |
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 Adilene
Clay Elementary, Mableton, GA
In just one year, Adilene has caught up to her peers – even though she only speaks English at school. Like many non-English speakers who move to the U.S. as children, Adilene struggled to succeed in school and had trouble focusing and believing in her abilities. But today, after a year of READ 180, Adilene has caught up to her classmates, and her enthusiasm for reading is contagious. |
Stage B |
 Burina
South Lawrence East Middle School, Lawrence, MA
A middle school girl who cared only about fitting in with the crowd is now a leader academically at her school - and proud of who she is. Dealing with the pressures of middle school was difficult for Burina in the 6th grade. “I didn't care much about school, just how I was going to fit in with the crowd,” she said. She failed some of her courses, and behaved poorly in class. But with intensive work on her reading, she has transformed. “I like to help others and my teacher even says I am a leader,” Burina said.
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 Michael
New Providence Middle School, Clarksville, TN
As a student classified as special education, Michael used to
act out in class instead of asking for help. He told his teachers
there was nothing they could do to make him read. On a path
toward giving up, and perhaps eventually dropping out, Michael
has made a remarkable turnaround while learning to read. “He
has changed his attitude, his sense of self worth, and his life”,
his nominating teacher, Laura Lipinski, wrote. |
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 Johanna
Pulaski Middle School, New Britain, CT
Knowing very little English made school next-to-impossible for Johanna. Now she reads to her brother and translates for her father. When Johanna started in her READ 180 class she had a history of poor behavior and struggled with reading and writing. Her transformation this year has been so dramatic that she was one of a select few
students from her school to be accepted into a summer program that prepares middle school students for college. “I am happy because I have had the opportunity to learn a new language and also translate for my father when he needs help reading or understanding English,” Johanna said. |
Stage C |
 Timothy
Cypress Falls High School, Houston, TX
Former teachers say Malik used to be disruptive in class and hated school. The first book he picked off the shelf at the beginning of the year in READ 180 was Slam, by Walter Dean Myers. When he finished it, he told his teacher, “This is the first book I have read without pictures.” Six months later, he's on the honor roll. |
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 Roy
Blue Springs South High School, Blue Springs, MO
He grew up in a rough neighborhood and failed his first year and a half of high school English. Now his grades are up and his sights are set on college. Roy was so far behind in his reading skills that he was getting mostly Fs and Ds in his classes. But after a year in READ 180, he's earning As, Bs and Cs. “Roy has just recently begun talking about college,” his teacher, Kristi Williams, wrote. “He confided in me admitting that he never thought it would be possible.”
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 Sara
Lake Havasu High School, Lake Havasu City, AZ
Sara was a gifted student in Mexico, but when she moved to the U.S. the language barrier made school difficult. Now she's “the smart girl” again. When Sara moved to the U.S. and began 1st grade in American schools, the daunting language barrier made school difficult. And by eighth grade, she was still getting mostly Ds and Fs. But her reading intervention class has taught her she can still be the “smart kid” she remembers being in Mexico. “Now that I had a chance to be in READ 180, it helped me a lot. It helped me to understand what I was reading, instead of just guessing,” Sara said. |
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