Davenport, IA - The Quad City Symphony Orchestra's annual Listening Olympics was held on Friday, April 24, at Asbury United Methodist Church. Nearly 50 fifth grade students, in teams of three from Quad City area schools, competed for gold, silver and bronze medals at this friendly competition that challenges students' knowledge of classical music.

Schools participating in this year's competition included Butterworth, Hamilton, Franklin, and Jane Addams from Moline; Matherville from Sherrard, and Colorado and Madison from Muscatine.

This year's winners were:

Gold (Pictured left to right; click on photo for print quality version.):
Franklin School, Moline
Emily Johnson
Noah Fabiano
Alexis Willey
Classroom Teacher: Maureen Dittmer
Music Specialist: Emily Roberts

Silver:
Butterworth Elementary, Moline
Quinn Daley
Michael Dombrock
Zane Nelson
Music Specialist: Valeree Pieper

Bronze:
Jane Addams Elementary, Moline
Chase Austin
Divya Badri
Megan Medinger
Music Specialist: Valeree Pieper

"Listening Olympics" is offered annually at no cost to schools and participants and is supported by funding from Volunteers for Symphony.

Rock Island, Illinois - Saint Xavier University will host an information meeting on the Master of Arts in Teaching and Leadership degree program. This degree program is for practicing teachers who want to expand their teaching repertories and improve their students' achievement. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 6 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. at the Quad-Cities Graduate Study Center, 639 38th Street, Rock Island, Illinois. All information meeting attendees who enroll for the next term will receive a $100 discount on tuition. Teachers will be advised about group discounts.

Those who cannot attend may receive a packet of information on the program by calling the GradCenter at (309) 794-7376, toll free 888-331-4723 or by email QC@gradcenter.org.

The Quad-Cities Graduate Study Center, through its member institutions, facilitates access to local graduate degree and certificate programs.  Students are able to choose from a diverse selection of over 80 graduate degree programs and certificate programs offered in convenient locations during evening and weekend hours and via the Internet. For more information visit our website at www.gradcenter.org.

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT is proud to announce the winners of the 15th Annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. 282 children entered the contest and WQPT picked sixteen local winners (first, second, third and honorable mention) from kindergarten through third grade. Participants chose fact or fiction, prose or poetry.

Requirements included: original, single-authored stories with K - 1 students writing a minimum of 50 words and maximum of 200... and Grades 2 -3 writing a minimum of 100 words and maximum of 350. Each age group had to illustrate a minimum of 5 drawings.

Ten local readers, many retired teachers, picked their favorite stories which were then judged by five representatives from the sponsoring organizations. They selected the 16 local winners. "The judges had a difficult task picking the finalists because so many of the stories were fun and imaginative. The winning stories combined thoughtful storytelling with strong visuals to match," said WQPT Educational Outreach Director, Ana Kehoe. Sponsors for the contest were Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House, Family Museum, Figge Art Museum and WQPT, Quad Cities PBS.

Local winners will receive their awards at a ceremony on May 17th at 3:00 p.m. at the Deere-Wiman House. The winning stories will be on display at the Butterworth Center in Moline, May 17 - 29, at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, June 1 - June 19 and at the Family Museum in Bettendorf, June 22 -July 6. First place winners will compete for prizes in the national Reading Rainbow competition. The winners will be announced in July. Last year Jayda Brunkan from Eldridge was a national third place winner.

WQPT is the local public television station located in Moline, Illinois on the campus of Black Hawk College.

READING RAINBOW WINNERS 2009

KINDERGARTEN

?First Place

Baylor Verbrugge, Edward White Elementary, Eldridge.

?Second Place

Ilese Rodeffer, Avon Elementary, Avon, IL.

?Third Place

Stephanie Ruiz, Longfellow School, Rock Island.

?Honorable Mention

Qy Burke, Homeschooled, Bettendorf.

FIRST GRADE

?First Place

Jayda Brunkan, Edward White Elementary, Eldridge.

?Second Place

Abby Devinney, Temple Christian School, Moline.

?Third Place

Ellie Huh, Rivermont Collegiate, Bettendorf.

?Honorable Mention

Blake Hasson, Alwood Elementary, Alpha, IL.

SECOND GRADE

?First Place

Grace Gugelmeyer, Longfellow School, Rock Island.

?Second Place

Mabel Losey, Alwood Elementary, Alpha, IL.

?Third Place

Nicholas Epplin, Winola Elementary, Viola, IL.

?Honorable Mention

Eunice Yoon, Prophetstown Elementary, Prophetstown, IL.

THIRD GRADE

?First Place

Giavanna Mariani, Pleasant View School, Bettendorf.

?Second Place

Olivia Nelson, Cody Elementary, LeClaire.

?Third Place

Wyatt Mohr, Mediapolis Community School, Mediapolis, IA.

?Honorable Mention

Katherine Moore, Earl Hanson Elementary, Rock Island.

Rock Island, Illinois - Saint Xavier University will host an information meeting on the Master of Arts in Teaching and Leadership degree program. This degree program is for practicing teachers who want to expand their teaching repertories and improve their students' achievement. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 21, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. at the Quad-Cities Graduate Study Center, 639 38th Street, Rock Island, Illinois. All information meeting attendees who enroll for the next term will receive a $100 discount on tuition. Teachers will be advised about group discounts.

Those who cannot attend may receive a packet of information on the program by calling the GradCenter at (309) 794-7376, toll free 888-331-4723 or by email QC@gradcenter.org.

The Quad-Cities Graduate Study Center, through its member institutions, facilitates access to local graduate degree and certificate programs. Students are able to choose from a diverse selection of over 80 graduate degree programs and certificate programs offered in convenient locations during evening and weekend hours and via the Internet. For more information visit our website at www.gradcenter.org.