CONTACT:  Wendy V. Long, Public Relations

                        (413) 685-1003

Grade-level champs prepare for National Word Power Challenge

Huntington- Traditional stories suggest that visions of sugarplums are dancing in many heads this week, but 20 students at Gateway Regional Middle School have turned their thoughts to other things this week.  Classroom champions in each grade level are competing for the chance to represent the school in a statewide vocabulary contest. 

Its all part of the Reader’s Digest National Word Power Challenge program.  One person from each classroom was selected to compete against four other classmates to win their grade-level championship. 

Eighth grade finalists were Marissa Grimsley, William Hyland, Cody Lavature, Hannah Oleksak and Kathleen Toomey.  Toomey moved forward as the 8th grade champion in a contest on December 15th.

Seventh grade finalists were Alex Chapman, Kenneth Daley, Calaeb Hartley, Spencer Martin and Tomas Rizzitano, with Rizzitano taking top honors.

Kimberly Bolduc, Stephanie Griffin, Zackery Strycharz, Geo Tangredi, and Kristine Vorwerk.  were the sixth grade grade finalists for Gateway, with Kimberly Bolduc winning the honors.

Fifth grade had two finalists per classroom: Hannah Mayhew, Matt Meacham, Robert Scott, James Ellis, Annaka Paradis-Burnett, Willis Pollard, Ryan Smith, Maggie Taylor, Naomi Albitz and Randy Lemire.  Annaka Paradis-Burnett emerged as the winner.

Once 6, 7, and 8 grade-level Champions are crowned, they will take an online test to determine the pool of contestants for state champions.  The top 100 scorers across Massachusetts will be invited to compete in the state championship on March 20th. 

Last year, Gateway had three students qualify for the state championships, with one—Melissa Jacques—making it to the top ten.

State champions and their teacher or escort will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Orlando, Florida to participate in the National Word Power Challenge Championship in the spring.  The National Champion will receive a $25,000 college scholarship.  The second and third place winners will receiver $15,000 and $10,000 scholarships, respectively.

The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc., headquartered in Pleasantville, New York, is a global publisher and direct marketer of products that inform, enrich, entertain and inspire people of all ages and all cultures around the world.  For more information, visit www.wordpowerchallenge.com .

Tomas Rizzitano, Seventh Grade Champion, will compete for the chance to Represent Gateway Middle School at the state finals in March 2007.