Minister launches For the Love of Reading Challenge

Education Minister Judy Foote launched the annual For the Love of Reading Challenge today at St. Peter�s Elementary in Mount Pearl. The For the Love of Reading Challenge is open to all students in grades K-6 and focuses on time spent reading.

"We are very excited about the For the Love of Reading Challenge," said Minister Foote. "The focus on how much time students spend reading encourages all students, regardless of their reading ability, to participate and contribute to the success of their class in the challenge."

The 2002-2003 reading challenge will run from October 15, 2002 to January 31, 2003. Students are asked to record the amount of time spent reading both in school and at home during the challenge. Teachers will monitor the students� reading logs to ensure what is being read is appropriate for the reading level of the student and principals will submit summary reading charts for each participating class to the Department of Education.

"This challenge supports our primary and elementary curriculum," said Minister Foote. "It also fits well with our integrated strategy to increase literacy levels across Newfoundland and Labrador."

Winning classes in primary and elementary grades will be announced during Education Week 2003. The 20 schools - 10 primary and 10 elementary - showing the most outstanding achievement in time spent reading will receive an award of $2,500 to support literacy activities or resources. Additionally, each student in the top achieving classroom will receive a special award. The first For the Love of Reading Challenge was held in 2000-2001.

"Response to our previous For the Love of Reading Challenge was very encouraging," said Minister Foote. "We hope participation in the challenge will foster a lifelong love of reading - for information, for education and for pleasure. We want our students to open up to the magic of reading."

Media contact: Carmel Turpin, Communications (709) 729-0048.

2002 09 24                                      9:45 a.m.