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Sarasota County elementary students vote for favorite books

SARASOTA, Fl, April 13, 2005 – Sarasota County Elementary School students, using the county’s touch screen voting machines, voted for their favorite books in the Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award Program at area elementary schools this past week. The top vote getter was The Ghost Sitter by Peni Griffin, with 123 votes out of 858 votes cast. Other books with over 100 votes each were, The Elevator Family by Douglas Evans, 7x9=Trouble by Claudia Mills, and The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau.

Students from Ashton, Bay Haven Basics, Fruitville, Garden, Gocio, Gulf Gate, Southside, and Taylor Ranch elementary schools participated in the election. Each student was required to read three or more books from a list of 15 to be eligible to vote. Great interest was shown by the students, and teachers feel more students will be encouraged to read next year in order to participate.

“I think that the number of students who voted in the Sunshine State Young Reader’s Program election shows that even students who are not yet eligible to vote can be inspired by the election process,” Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent said. “I am especially grateful to the school district and the teachers who supported this exercise, which engaged students through experienced-based education to make choices and learn about the voting process,” Ms. Dent added.

The Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award Program is a statewide reading motivation program developed to encourage students to read independently. The election was organized by the SOE in cooperation with teachers of the Sarasota County School District.