FASTAR — the Fluent Academic Skills Tournament for Arithmetic and Reading, is sponsored by The Roger Bacon Academy. An extra-curricular competition modeled upon automobile racing, FASTAR promotes the habits of high academic achievement among all school children

Studies have shown that, as students practice basic skills in reading and arithmetic to achieve high rates of fluency, their comprehension and skill at learning more complex tasks improves greatly.

FASTAR competitions are fun and rewarding experiences for the boys and girls at our school. As they practice their skills at home and after school, they develop increased endurance, longer retention, broader application, and faster problem-solving skills.

For academically challenged students, practicing for faster speeds has been shown by the scientific research to be very central to academic success.

Gaining speed in basic skills is a matter of repetition – of practice, practice, practice – not of innate ability. With effort and assis-tance, every student can vastly increase their speeds and acquire the major academic abilities that come with fluency in basic skills.

Every student who “qualifies” for a FASTAR event has already reached an important milestone in mastering basic skills. While the top five finishers in each event receive trophies, all of the boys and girls who enter FASTAR are winners worthy of a victory lap!

Funding for FASTAR comes from sponsors including RBA, E&I Builders, Pinnacle Business Systems, and Coastal Habitat Conservancy, among others. New sponsors are needed. Please call RBA at 910.655.1214 if you are interested in supporting upcoming tournaments.