A total of 62 individuals, teenagers and young adults, competed in the finals of the National Library’s Champion Readers Competition, Friday, an experience they lauded as one that helped them to look with new eyes at books and the world of literature.

The competition is one of the many events of the National Library’s centenary celebrations, held under the theme ‘Empowering the Nation through literacy’.

This teen makes his oral presentation.

As scheduled, it began in May, and involved participants in three categories; 12 to 14, 15 to 17, and 18 to 20 years.

The Champion Readers’ competition was rolled out centrally, at the National Library in Georgetown, as well as at branches at Festival City, Bagotville, Linden, Anna Regina, New Amsterdam and Corriverton.

The competition’s preliminaries were conducted at all the branch libraries, while the semi-finals were held at the New Amsterdam, Linden and Bagotville branches; and then the finals yesterday at the National Library headquarters.

The participants in each category read six books, two for each leg of the competition.

In the 12 to 14-year category, the books included Sprat Morrison, My Father Sun-Sun Johnson, The Wooing of Beppo Tate, The Year in San Fernando, Annie John and The Humming Bird Tree.

Among the books read in the 15 to 17-year category were Animal Farm, Jumbie Bird, Harriet’s Daughter, Jane’s Career, Crick Crack Monkey and The Schoolmaster.

The 18 to 25-year category also saw interesting titles that included The Turn of the Screw, To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye, Colour Purple, To Sir with Love and In the Castle of My Skin.

Participants waiting on their turn to make their oral presentations for the judges.

Contestants were assessed through oral and written examinations.

In the oral examinations, they were assessed on fluency and dramatic effect, which will be worth 20% of the points, while the written examination will be worth 80%.

The prizes for the competition include $50,000, a local trip, a trophy and a book award for first place; $30,000, a trophy and a book award for second place; and $20,000, a trophy and a book award for third place.

However, for the participants the competition was more than just the prizes that could be won.

“We were able to look at books in a way that we’ve never seen them before,” exclaimed Ms. Anastacia Thomas, of the New Amsterdam Multilateral School, who participated in the 12 to 14 category.

The teen explained that the competition was a good experience that facilitated learning and exposure to new literature.

One of the judges of the competition, Mr. Petamber Persaud, Chairperson on the Committee of the National Library, pointed out that this realisation was what, among other things, was what the competition was designed to do.

“Literacy is many things, but primarily involves understanding, relating and being able to bring one’s own perspective to what is read,” he said.

Persaud added that the participants also developed and appreciation for books as they can bring their own experiences to a new avenue and relate in their own way to the text.

This was a sentiment that the participants concurred with.

In the 18 to 25 category, Mr. Asa Stuart explained that indeed everyone is given an opportunity to relate to something new.

“It is a chance for exposure,” Stuart said, “And everyone who is involved in the competition leaves with something whether or not they are pronounced winners.”

One of Stuart’s peers, Ms. Lea-Ann Caton, echoed this sentiment and pointed out that in the months that the competition ran, many new friendships blossomed.

Caton said, “It was not just about learning, but about fun too, because many of us made friends here.”

Another participant, Ms. Arianna Francois, from Critchlow Labour College, in the 15 to 17 category, agreed and added that the competition was an opportunity to explore new avenues.

Ms. Rita Lowell, one of the judges, explained that the fact that this view was expressed means that the competition was a success.

“The competition was to encourage purpose and meaning among youths while showing them a whole world that opens to them through books,” Lowell said.

This new world was widely accepted among the participants.

Ms. Alyssa Alphonso of Anna Regina Multilateral, who competed in the 15 to 17 category, explained that the competition was exciting and paved the way for new things as well as an opportunity for expressing oneself.

For some of the participants such expression is long term, as the competition was another in a series of learning experiences that will assist in their future.

“It is always good to learn new things because later on you have a wealth of knowledge to share from,” said Ms. Rebecca Roopchan, from Skeldon Line Path Secondary.

Roopchan competed in the 15 to 17 category and hopes to become a teacher in the near future.

Chief Librarian Ms. Jillian Thompson pointed out that the promotion of literacy in Guyana was primary in the list of objectives that the competition sought to achieve.

Among the other objectives of the Champion Readers’ Competition was the need to:

* Encourage reading as a stimulating past-time among children and young adults;

* Stimulate a thirst for information through the printed medium;

* Nurture a lifelong love for reading; and

* Develop reading and comprehension skills of participants.

Thompson noted too that the hopefully next year the programme will be expanded.