To attract more participants…
THE final segment of the 2010 Champion Readers Competition, staged last September 3, yielded better results than last year, according to Coordinator of Extension Activities at the National Library, Mrs. Margaret Eastman.
She said, of the contest hosted by the National Library: “We had persons achieving higher scores for the finals this year.”
Eastman said Zimeena Rasheed, of Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, maintained first place in the 12 to 14 years category, with 90 points.
This year’s other winners were, Crystal DeFreitas (9 to 11 years), Yogeeta Persaud and Rosana Bisnauth (12 to 14 years), Angelica Bisnauth, Shauna Henry and Bibi Khan (15 to 17 years), Keon Heywood, Subrina Bisnauth and Asa Shepherd (18 to 35 years).
Eastman indicated that there will be several changes to the different categories next year, in response to the increasing interest and participation.
She said new categories, to include nine to 12 years, 13 to 16 years, 17 to 20 years, 21 to 30 years and 31 to 40 years age groups will be added and the entry points for the finals will be reduced from 80 to 76 points for the inclusion of more participants.
Eastman said: “We recognise that more persons are achieving higher scores and it would be unfair to cut them off. So we need to reward their efforts.”
She also announced that the Champion Reader rivalry will be incorporated into the activities of the National Library Book Club, to be introduced next year.
This, Eastman explained, will guarantee a greater number taking part and ensure that more persons are eligible to compete.
Members of the Book Club will benefit from the discussions as it would prepare them for the assessments, she said, adding that, as membership increases, there will be the need for more books.
“We are hoping to get more funding to add more books,” she said.
The competition has been ongoing for 13 years.