The entry deadline for this competition has now passed, find out the results here.
The unbeatable tag-team partnership of the National Literacy Trust and WWE® returned for another year in September 2012 with Road to WrestleMania, a literacy competition aimed at Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3.
The competition in a nutshell...
What about your pupils who aren't into WWE?
The competition in a nutshell…
The Road to WrestleMania saw pupils taking on the role of manager of an up-and-coming sports entertainer, completing a number of literacy-related tasks to transform their client into a top class WWE Superstar or Diva.
Pupils completed the tasks in a special Managers Log Book and those who completed all five tasks could be entered into a draw to win a spectacular prize (see “The prizes” section).
Downloadable certificates, signed by the WWE Superstars and Divas featured on the competition resources, were also available for teachers to award to pupils who rose to the Road to WrestleMania challenge, so that their achievement could be celebrate in school too.
A classroom poster that promoted the competition and gave an overview of the Road to WrestleMania tasks was available to download.
Download Manager's Log Book
Download certificate
Download poster
The tasks
Each of the five Road to WrestleMania tasks drew on different writing skills, with a bit of reading and performance thrown in for good measure. A short film from WWE introducing the tasks was available to get pupils really excited.
Step one: The character
"Before they do anything else, your pupils need to decide on who their Superstar or Diva is, choosing their name and designing their costume for the ring, with a written explanation of the different features." Biographies of some WWE Superstars and Divas were available for pupils to read for inspiration. Download
Step two: The big entrance
"All the top Superstars and Divas command attention as they make their way into the ring – they know how to make an entrance! Pupils must choreograph their Superstar’s or Diva’s entrance to the ring and then write instructions for their Superstar or Diva so that they know what to do." Some fun example instructions were provided to remind pupils of the structure and language to use for this type of writing. Download
Step three: The storyline – outside the ring
"Every budding WWE Superstar or Diva needs an exciting storyline to launch them as a contender for a championship title. Pupils must write a storyline for their Superstar or Diva that will set them up to power onto the world stage, thinking about their background and their relationship with other Superstars and Divas."
Step four: The “promo”
"There is only one week to go until your pupils’ Superstar or Diva’s first big show-down. Pupils must write and perform a short promo, persuading their audience to support their Superstar or Diva."
Step five: The tag team partner
"Your pupils’ WWE Superstar or Diva has been booked in a tag-team match at WrestleMania and so they need to have a reliable tag team partner. Pupils must think about the qualities a good partner would have and write a job advert for the role." Some example job adverts were provided to help them structure their writing and give them some good words and phrases to magpie. Download
The prizes
The lucky winner of the prize draw won the following fantastic prizes:
- A night for the winning pupil as a “Guest Manager” at a WWE® UK live event during the WrestleMania Revenge Tour in April 2013, WWE® merchandise and a book token for the amount of £50. The winning pupil can bring a friend along and must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
- As a “Guest Manager” the winner, their friend and a parent/guardian will have a private meet and greet with a WWE Superstar or Diva and the winner will escort them to the ring for their match and then watch ringside.
Three runners up, chosen at random, also won WWE® merchandise.
What about pupils who aren’t into WWE®?
We know that, whilst WWE® is hugely popular in the UK, it may not appeal to everyone. So, we encouraged teachers with pupils who are more into other sports, or music or film to adapt the competition tasks slightly so that all pupils could join in. Unfortunately they couldn't enter the main competition, but it was a great way of making sure the competition is inclusive and engaging for everyone in school. See below for some inspiration:
Walk of Fame
“Your pupils are the mentor of a new act on a big TV music talent show, and it’s their job to transform them into a massive chart-topping sensation…”
