The BVI Reading Council (BVIRC) is hosting a ‘Read BVI Read’ Challenge as part of activities in observance of this year’s Reading is Fun Week.

The ‘Read BVI Read’ Challenge takes place on Wednesday, October 12 and the goal is to encourage persons in the community to read something of their choice either to themselves or to others.

BVIRC’s Public Relations Officer, Ms. Bria Smith said, “Persons can read to students at schools, to patients in the hospital, to inmates, to senior citizens at the elderly home or to their own children at home. The council is also encouraging radio hosts to take time for a special reading selection any time during the day.”

Readers will also be encouraged to post pictures and videos depicting what reading means to them on Facebook with the hashtag #WhyIReadBVI.

In addition to the reading challenge, the BVIRC is hosting a Literacy Panel Discussion, themed, “Literacy: The Building Blocks to a Successful BVI” at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, at the Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall. The panel will include HLSCC Lecturer, Mr. Sowande Uhuru; Special Education Teacher, Ms. Danika Stoutt; and Head of the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Communications, Dr. Richard Georges. It will be moderated by English Teacher at the Elmore Stoutt High School, Mr. Hubert Wong.

The BVIRC is inviting students from Grades 4 to 8 to enter a writing contest, where they will construct essays on the topic: "If I had a million dollars, I would make the BVI a better place by..."

Students will compete in two categories, Grade 4 to 6 and Grade 7 to 8. Students in Grades 4 to 6 are expected to write up to 400 words, while Grade 7 to 8 students will write 500 to 600 words. There will be prizes for first, second and third place in each category.

Students will be asked to submit their essays through their schools. Principals will then submit to the BVI Reading Council, c/o H. Lynden Smith, Ward Building, for judging. The deadline for submissions is November 15. 

Principals are also encouraged to compile all entries into a book which can be placed in the class or school libraries where all the students would have the chance to read each other’s stories. The six winning entries will be published in the local newspapers and the BVIRC’s newsletter.

 ‘Read for the Fun of it!’ is the theme for the Territory’s 24^th Annual Reading is Fun Week. The annual observation helps to demonstrate the Ministry of Education and Culture’s commitment to prepare students for academic challenges by placing greater emphasis on reading in all the Territory’s public schools. The week was first held in the Territory in October 1992, under the theme, ‘Share the Joy in Reading’.