(ZIZ News) — Three young readers were awarded for their love of reading when the Charles A. Halbert Public Library hosted a prize-giving ceremony for its recent Easter Read-A-Thon.
Mauriel Knight was named the overall winner and winner in the senior category while Maleah Erskine took the top prize for the junior category.
Assistant Librarian Carmen Browne said the goal of the Read-A-Thon is to develop strong reading habits in the students.
She said, “Reading is an important gateway to personal development and to social, economic, and civic life. We cannot be informed citizens unless we can read.”
Minister of Education, Hon. Shawn Richards, congratulated the students on their performance during the Read-A-Thon and urged the parents to encourage their children to read at every possible opportunity.
“In whatever possible way you can encourage them to read, please do so. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a book but as you go different places with them, whether it is a sign somewhere…Whenever you take them somewhere and you see something that they can read, something that would be of benefit to them, encourage them to read,” Minister Richards said.
34 students took part in the Easter Read-A-Thon, held from the 7th to 10th of April.