Sydney Morning Herald, AU: 2008 May 4
Sarah Price, Education Reporter
MORE high schools are turning to the Premier's Reading Challenge as a tool to encourage adolescents to read.
Robyn Condrick, the teacher-librarian at Sydney's Northern Beaches Secondary College, Cromer Campus, said the challenge helped motivate teenagers.
"These days it's very hard to turn kids on to reading, particularly boys," Ms Condrick said. "On the school holidays, the kids much prefer to play computer games. The world's changed and trying to get kids to value reading again is great."
As well as primary school students, the challenge is available to students in years 7 to 9.
The college has incorporated the challenge into its wider program for years 7 and 8. It is also incorporated into the school's DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) program.
Ms Condrick said they also saw the challenge as a valuable way to help improve literacy.
"A lot of high schools don't do it and I think one of the reasons for that is they see it as a primary school initiative, which I think is a real pity," she said.
Other high schools involved in the challenge include Heathcote High School, which recently ran a pizza party for year 7 students taking part.
What's your school doing?
The Premier's Reading Challenge is a NSW Government initiative, incorporating media partner The Sun-Herald, principal partner Dymocks Literacy Foundation and supporting partners Laubman & Pank and OPSM.
Is your school doing something interesting for the Premier's Reading Challenge? Send details to s price@fairfaxmedia.com.au.
http://education.qld.gov.au/schools/readingchallenge/
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/prc/
http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/portal/students.asp?group=learning&id=prc
