Elementary schools in the district’s Transformation Zone recently gathered at Campbell Park’s media center for the Reading Royale competition.

The event – now in its second year – featured nine teams of three third graders from Campbell Park, Pinellas Park, Lakewood, Fairmount Park, Gulfport, Lealman Avenue, Maximo, Melrose, and Woodlawn schools.

Campbell Park came in first, followed by Pinellas Park, and Lakewood.

Participants received a medal, lunch, and a swag bag.

Each team participated in a set of six exercises that’s part of a series of academic gaming events scheduled throughout the Transformation Zone to prepare for upcoming FAST testing. The zone is a group of schools identified as needing more support to ensure student success.

There were six challenges, each with a different focus and a set of points.

For the sixth challenge, third graders planned a dance to a poem with a Florida animal theme. Students involved alligators, stingrays, lizards, panthers, and manatees in their dance.

Tiffany Madison, a reading literacy coach, said Academic Chief Donnika Jones challenged staff last school year to create a program that helped Transformation Zone students prepare for testing.

The event was a success, so it was decided to bring it back this year, she said.

“Of course it was a hit, so we continued it this year and made it bigger,” Madison said.