Eight UCPS elementary schools have advanced to the Elite Eight round of this year’s Books and Brackets reading challenge.

Modeled after the March Madness basketball competition, Books and Brackets presents a five-week reading challenge for UCPS's 30 elementary schools. Each week, the competition's intensity escalates.

At Fairview Elementary, students were deeply immersed in their books, filling the classroom with the delightful sounds of turning pages and occasional laughter. Their commitment paid off. They and seven other schools are advancing to the next round of the competition.

The Elite Eight schools were announced on Feb. 29. They include Fairview, Marvin, New Town, Poplin, Sandy Ridge, Shiloh Valley, Stallings and Weddington. This listing does not reflect the leaders in reading minutes. They have collectively read 1,948,277 minutes.

Stay tuned for the Final Four announcement on March 7, and mark your calendars for the ultimate celebration at Wingate University on March 22, where the winning school will be revealed.

02/29/2024