Readers are Leaders

Posted by Rtn.Cookie Bijlani

on Aug 30, 2011

Background

Raising our readers to be leaders! Our youngsters need to become strong readers to succeed in life! These are the slogans under which the Rotary Sunrise Club and the Philipsburg Jubilee Library launched the ‘Readers are Leaders’ reading program aimed at all high school students on our island. Our goal is to turn St. Maarten’s teenagers into avid readers.

Opening party

‘Readers are Leaders’ was launched on Friday, March 19, 2010

with a swinging Pizza Party at the premises of the Philipsburg Jubilee Library. The campaign will culminate with a closing party celebrating the achievements of all participating students in March 2011, which is Rotary’s Literacy Month. Then it will be re-launched in March 2011, since the program will be an annual event.

Reading program

High school students are challenged to read at least 2 books per month. As extra incentives to encourage participants to continue reading, prizes will be awarded to the first three participants that finish reading seven books. Prizes include a number of electronic devices such as: IPods, Net books, USB sticks, and free internet hours at the library.

Readers are Leaders is also visible on the World Wide Web. A special Facebook account has been set up for the campaign and participating teens are encouraged to write book reviews and discuss the books they read on Facebook.

The topics the participants are reading about include: world leaders and spiritual leaders from St. Maarten, the Caribbean and the rest of the world and moral values and ethics. Apart from these topics participants can select fun books of their own choice.

Participants are also be invited to join the Readers are Leaders Book Club, which was established in October 2010.

Interested students can sign up for the “Reader Are Leaders” program at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library or via their homeroom teacher at school.

To date there are approximately 85 students participating in the “Reader Are Leaders” program.