Student Programs

It’s the Academy Awards for children’s books. Each year after reading recommended titles in four categories, students throughout the state of California vote for their favorite books. Young readers can compare their choices with the overall winning selections. This is a great resource for finding new friends who enjoy reading as much as you do! Each fall, the nominated titles are posted and the winners are posted in the spring. For more information and a list of this year’s nominees, visit the California Young Reader Medal website.

For more than 15 years, Pizza Hut provides monthly reading rewards for young children (K-6). Our sixth graders, the Baby Falcons, are encouraged to set reading goals each month. Upon reaching their goals they receive coupons for an individual pizza. So, think about it, you can’t starve to death if you read!

We provide two opportunities to add some great books to your personal library — winter and spring. For two weeks in December and May, the library becomes a “bookstore on wheels”. Book lovers can experience the latest and greatest in book retailing. Scholastic Books, a children’s book publisher, provides a great selection of teen literature and other cool stuff for sale. So save your dinero baby, because you’ll want to buy it all!

Do you need money, gift certificates, or cool kid-friendly prizes? Well you have come to the right source—your school library. Each year various organizations offer rewards for entering standards-based essays in writing contests. For example, The Friends of the San Diego Public Library, San Diego Unified School District (Library), Petco Park, the San Diego Council On Literacy, San Diego State University, and the University of California, San Diego, all announce their juried essay contests. Middle school students, like you, submit researched, persuasive essays on a specific topic for their review. Over the years, O’Farrell has taken many top cash and gift prizes. In this case, it pays to read and write! On your mark, get set, WRITE!

Each year we acknowledge students who have read 25 or more books at their reading level. We are fortunate that each year we have more than 400 students who are avid readers. All they need are a well-maintained library and a permanent library pass as their incentive. Our reading certificate, free book and prize raffle are reminders that “it pays to read”.