‘Zap’ learners to New Zealand with international comp

FOUR learners from Manor Gardens Primary School were crowned the South African Kids Lit Quiz national champions and are now raising funds to attend the World Finals in New Zealand in July. Several local businesses have shown their support for the learners by promoting a campaign to donate via Zapper.

The team of four learners, affectionately known as the Ama Boeke Boeke, won the Durban regional round of the competition and the national final in Cape Town in February, and have now qualified to represent South Africa in the ultimate test of readers aged 10–13. Known as the Olympic Games of Reading, this competition has been an annual event since 1991 and attracts teams from all over the world.

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The team is still coming to terms with their win – team member Anjini Naicker is elated that reading lots of books could lead to an overseas trip.

“Dr Seuss was right – reading can take you places!” she said.

Her teammate, Lily Rose Platter, commented that this was a, “Once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to represent South Africa in an international competition by doing something I love to do. I have to thank my parents for reading to me since I was a baby and still reading to me today,” she said.

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This is not the first time the local school has taken part in the competition. In 2011, Manor Gardens Primary School represented South Africa and won the Kids Lit Quiz world final. This was the first time the competition had been won by a South African school. The Manor Gardens team are relishing the opportunity to bring the trophy back to KZN but need the community to help them achieve this goal.

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