Literary Week ends with Book Display

By Melissa Bryant
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – PRIMARY-LEVEL children were empowered to read during Maurice Hillier Memorial Junior School’s recently concluded fourth annual Literary Week, which was aimed at enhancing children’s reading and writing skills under the theme “Celebrating Reading Through the Arts”.

Activities began on Tuesday, October 28 with the second annual ‘Wave of Reading Kindness’, in which the school donated over 40 storybooks and textbooks to the Paediatric Ward at the Joseph N. France General Hospital.

On Wednesday, October 29 the school’s sixth graders debated the topic “Students should be given homework although they spend all day at school” and an internal Spelling Bee Competition was held at the Old Girls’ School on Thursday, October 30.

Local playwrights Creighton Pencheon and Loughlin Tatem were honoured with plaques for their invaluable assistance and contribution to the school, and each spoke about the benefits of reading and encouraged students to develop a love for books.

The programme ended on Friday, October 31 with the ‘Carnival of Books’ exhibit, where students’ book reports were displayed throughout the school in a variety of shapes. There was also a used book sale, with the proceeds going to the school.

Icilma Springer, Principal of the school and founder of the initiative, deemed the week’s activities “a success”, noting that there was “excellent participation by the students”.   ~~Adz:Right~~

“It is so important that children love reading because it engages their minds in a way that the television does not. Reading allows them to use their imagination and to enhance their expression. Parents must encourage their children to read so that illiteracy can be reduced and their writing skills can be developed,” said Springer.