PHILIPSBURG:--- The Philipsburg Jubilee Library in collaboration with the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise held their fourth annual award ceremony on April 3, 2014 at 6pm at the library in recognition of its outstanding "Readers are Leaders" participants.
The goal of "Readers are Leaders" is to promote literacy specifically among high school students and to encourage readers to express their thoughts, feelings and ideas through writing. The participants are challenged to read a number of books and submit reports about the books they read.
This year, a large number of students participated in the challenge to read at least 2 books per month, either individually at the Library or through their advisors for "Readers are Leaders" program at St. Maarten Academy (PSVE and Academic Sections), Sundial School and the St. Maarten Vocational Training School. The board of the reading club recently organized other events such as their annual black history month cultural event and poetry evening.
As an added incentive to encourage participants to continue reading, special prizes are awarded to the most avid readers. This year's winners were first place winner Widney Charles second place went to Britney Mayer, and third place to Trevor Downer, both students of St. Maarten Academy PSVE.
During the Award Ceremony, the top 3 winners were presented with tablets, donated by the Rotary Club of St. Maarten Sunrise. The library also donated free internet hours to each winner in the reading competition.
To close off the evening, all participants were rewarded with discounted pizza courtesy Dominoes Pizza and drinks donated by the Library.
The Rotary Club of St. Maarten Sunrise and Library and wishes to acknowledge the contributions of the following high school representatives, who were instrumental to the success of this project: Michelle Richardson-Artsen (St. Maarten Academy PSVE), Yadira Pierre-Boston and Augustine Scantlebery-Lake (St. Maarten Vocational Training School), Kim Lucas-Felix and Susan van Mierloo (St. Maarten Academy Academic).