Kids read up for Premier Challenge

BOOKworms across Casey are encouraged to sign up for this year’s Premier’s Reading Challenge.
Cranbourne MP Jude Perera urged all local students from prep to year nine to become involved in the challenge, which he said was a fun way to improve literacy skills and instil a love of reading in young people.
“This year, the challenge has been expanded to include prep to grade two students and the recommended booklist includes about 4000 titles – more than twice as many as last year,” he said.
“Students in years three to nine who accept the challenge need to read 15 books, including at least 10 from the Reading Challenge booklist by 30 August.
“Students in prep to year two must read or ‘experience’ 30 books, including at least 20 from the challenge booklist by 30 August.”
Mr Perera said the expansion of the program to prep to grade two students was also a great opportunity for parents to get involved in the challenge.
“Parents can support the challenge by listening to their child read or by reading to them.
“Last year 130,000 students from about 1500 schools took part in the challenge, reading more than one million books.
“With the expansion of the program we expect the challenge to be even bigger and better this year.
“Every student who successfully meets the challenge will receive a certificate signed by the Premier, Steve Bracks.
“The names of students who complete the challenge will also be published in a special supplement to The Sunday Age, which is sponsoring the challenge,” he said.
Schools and students can enrol in the Premier’s Reading Challenge online on www.sofweb.vic.edu.-au/vicprs.