Young learners walkaway winners at the D.E.A.R competition in Westbury
The session is called D.E.A.R, it is a half-an-hour reading session which will start today
“If you want to hide something from a black man, hide it away in a book,” said the principal of Dowling Avenue Primary School, Monty Sandowns.
A non-profit organisation called Readers R Leaders (RRL) has been hard at work eliminating these stereotypes by improving English reading, operating book-clubs, assisting school libraries, arranging motivational talks, and spreading a culture of reading.
On July 24, the organisation launched their first writing competition at Dowling Avenue Primary School in Westbury.
The competition was only for Dowling Avenue Primary School learners who are in Grades 3-5. All entries had to be original and written in English. Applicants were encouraged to be creative, humorous, and express effort.
The story had to fit onto one side of an A4 page. The rules of the competition were that the story had to be based on a picture on the entry box and the story had to be dropped in the box in the reading room at the school.
“The only difference confronting our children in the areas that we work in, are opportunities. We, therefore, believe that this writing competition would be an opportunity for the learners to rise to the occasion and write their stories and to encourage others to do likewise and to shine in their success,” said Cyril Turton RRL founder.
On August 22, RRL held a ceremony to announce the winner of the writing competition. The prizes for semi-finalists were books, the finalists received Lego sets, and the winner cycled home on a brand new mountain bike.
Chanelle Louw, a Grade 3 learner claimed the coveted first prize, followed by Saajidah Mohammed a Grade 5Â learner and Jordan Johnson, a Grade 4 learner who took third place in the competition.
Principal Sandowns also announced that the school would have a new reading session added to its daily timetable.
The session is called Drop Everything And Read (DEAR), it is a half-an-hour reading session which will start from September 1.
RRL is seeking more volunteers willing to assist at various schools within the area.
If you are interested, contact Cyril Turton on 082 418 3347 or email; cyrilturton@iafrica.com
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