WrestleMania(R) Reading Challenge Crowns National Champs

ORLANDO, Fla., Apr 03, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Hometown hero Ajoura Gwinn of the Carnegie Library of Homestead, Pa., and David Silva of the Orlando Public Library were crowned 2008 WrestleMania Reading Challenge National Champions. Silva, the national middle school reading champ, and Gwinn, the national high school reading champ, received the coveted trophies along with ringside seats to WrestleMania XXIV at the Florida Citrus Bowl.

This is the second year of the national competition held by WWE and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) to reach reluctant readers and get more teens reading beyond Teen Read Week, YALSA's annual initiative to encourage teens to read for fun. WWE plans to continue to expand the reading challenge competition as part of a new initiative to extend its popularity with youth.

Silva and Gwinn had the most correct responses to questions about the books "Stuck in Neutral" by Terry Trueman and "Ball Don't Lie" by Matt de la Pena. The authors served as judges while the finalists were quizzed by WWE Superstars CM Punk, The Miz and Matt Striker. Punk, Miz and Striker all appeared in posters distributed nationwide to encourage libraries' participation in the WrestleMania Reading Challenge.

From the more than 30,000 participants in more than 1,170 libraries across the country who competed, 10 finalists were selected to face off in Orlando to become national champions. Gwinn and four others competed in the 9-12 grade division, Silva and the other four finalists competed in the 7-8 grade division. Each finalist won airfare, hotel, and spending cash for two to Orlando, tickets to WrestleMania XXIV, $2,000 for their public or school library and the opportunity to compete in the WrestleMania Reading Challenge finals.

This year's regional finalists are in two categories, grades 7-8 and grades 9-12. Finalists in the grades 7-8 category are:

-- Chris Thompson, Cave City, Ky., from LeGrande Elementary

-- Laquan Deen, Homestead, Pa., from Carnegie Library of Homestead

-- Emily Hardy, Seattle, Wash., from McClure Middle School

-- Beau Snoad, Napolean, Ohio, from Napoleon Middle School Library

-- David Silva, Orlando, Fla., from Orlando Public Library

Finalists in the grades 9-12 category are:

-- Zacary Harper, Lake Wales, Fla., from Lake Wales Public Library

-- Ajoura Gwinn, Munhall, Pa., from Carnegie Library of Homestead

-- Amber Dales, Des Moines, Iowa, from Southeast Polk High School

-- Arun Natarajan, Hicksville, N.Y., from Hicksville Public Library

-- Kady Marie Peters, Orlando, Fla., from Orlando Public Library

Sophomore Ajoura Gwinn will be recognized by the Steel Valley School board at its Tuesday April 22, 2008 meeting