Code Breakers Bash held for Newberry High School, contest winner

February 25, 2009

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 2008-2009 University of Florida Bateman Team, a team of UF Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) members will partner with The College Bound Aid Program to host the Code Breakers Bash, the culminating event of “Crack the Codes… Challenge: Accepted” contest, from 1:50 to 2:40 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27 at Newberry High School.

The “Crack the Codes… Challenge: Accepted” competition is held to equip Alachua County students, parents and school guidance counselors with college planning resources. Through the program, these students will become master code-breakers in college planning by late February.

The contest winner, Newberry High School, was announced Wednesday, Feb. 25, during the school’s morning announcements. The Code Breakers Bash, an in-school event featuring a local radio DJ, a University of Florida comedy group and various giveaways, will be held at Newberry because the school garnered the highest number of points in the contest.

Since the contest commencement on Feb. 1, Alachua County high school students have been encouraged to participate in weekly code-breaking challenges as well as to attend a Community Code Crunch event, held at their school, to receive points toward winning the contest.

Students at each of the competing high schools, Eastside, Newberry and Hawthorne High Schools, were encouraged to attend the Community Code Crunch event to discuss the challenge in affording and attending college. These students also were invited to answer a set of questions about the college application process on the contest’s Web site, http://www.crackthecodes.org.

Once students cracked the code, they were entered in a raffle to win tickets to a concert featuring R&B artist Ne’ Yo, signed memorabilia by a Gator Football player and two Walt Disney World Theme Park ticket passes. Raffle winners were announced each weekend and presented to the code breaker at his or her school the following Monday. Winners of the ticket passes will be announced at the Code Breakers Bash.

For more information about the UF Bateman team that helped host the culminating event, visit http://www.prssa.org/resources/bateman.asp.