The summer of 2012 marked a first for the Cayman Islands Public Library Service with the launching of a six-week reading challenge for children designed to keep them reading throughout the summer to maintain and improve reading skills.
Incentive for completing the challenge came in the form of a prize drawing with prizes that included Kindle Fires, MP3 players and $25 gift certificates.
All children who completed the challenge were entered into the drawing and received a certificate of completion and a prize.
The Summer Reading Challenge asked participants to read a minimum number of daily minutes for four days each week as determined by their age level, and to log their daily minutes spent reading on the website.
Participants in age group 1 – 6 to 9 years – were asked to read 10 minutes a day. Participants in age group 2 – 10 to 14 years – and age group 3 – 15 to 17 years – were asked to read 20 minutes a day. To successfully complete the challenge, participants were also required to read a minimum of five books and then record each title along with their thoughts about the book on the website. The challenge brochure included a list of recommended books, but participants could read any book on their current reading level.
Of the 46 children signed up for the reading challenge, 57 per cent were successful in completing all the challenge requirements, reading a combined total of 42,308 minutes during the six week challenge period. A total of $1,500 in prizes and prize money was donated in support of the reading challenge.
The “Awesome Readers” who completed the Summer Reading Challenge are from:
Cayman Islands Further Education Centre – Jessenia Whittaker
Cayman Prep School – Igor Magalhaes, Victor Magalhaes, Marisa Poole,
Clifton Hunter High School – Jessinah Astwood, Jorden Dixon
Home Schooled – Erin Bush, Kai Bush, Roy Bush II
John Gray High School – Zoe Leggatt, Alexander Smith
Montessori by the Sea – Lucas Carter
Prospect Primary School – Ajene Davis, Colissa Hill, Arianna Stephenson, Cassidy Varona
Savannah Primary School – Charlotte Dowell, Tamia McLean, Adesh Seeram
Sir John A. Cumber Primary School – Mateo Cavallaro, Brandi Conolly, Tiffany Conolly, Amber Ebanks, April Ebanks
St. Ignatius Catholic School – Madison Kelly, Jorian Neblett
Education Minister Rolston Anglin said: “Despite the technical challenges the programme experienced in the beginning, the Summer Reading Challenge was a great success and I am delighted to see so many children take part and complete the reading requirements. Encouraging our children to read is very important and I would like to thank the Public Library Service for providing this programme for our community and instilling the importance of reading in the families that took part.”
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