Students encouraged to read for pleasure for the 2019 NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge
The 2019 NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) is shaping up to be bigger than ever this year.
The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) is shaping up to be bigger than ever this year.
Students participating in the 2019 challenge, which encourages young people to read more often and more widely, have 640 new titles to choose from on the booklists.
They can also search for books to read on the PRC’s new student website, which awards students’ progress with levels and badges.
PRC ambassador and children’s author Susanne Gervay said developing a love of reading from a young age is about more than just improving literacy skills.
“It inspires children’s imaginations and empowers them to be everything that they want to be,” she said.
“Books were my saviour growing up and I think it’s really one of the reasons I became a children’s author.”
The challenge is open to kindergarten to year 9 students in NSW government, independent, Catholic and home schools. They must finish between 20 and 30 books, depending on their age, to complete the challenge before it closes on August 30.
The PRC also has a new student advisory panel with 85 students from across the state who are developing some great ideas for future directions of the challenge.
Engadine High School student Imogen Smith said being a part of the panel has increased her love of books.
“I’ve met a couple of really good friends and the fact that we are so different but inclusive all the same makes it really enjoyable,” she said.
The challenge is proudly supported by Dymocks Children’s Charities and media partner NewsLocal.
See more details at www.premiersreadingchallenge.nsw.edu.au
2018 stats
■ More than 8.3 million books were read by more than 387,000 students in last year’s challenge.
■ The most popular books read in 2018 were Pig the Pug (kindergarten to year 2), The Very Cranky Bear (year 3-4), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (year 5-6) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (year 7-9).
Readers awarded by NSW Premier
The impressive reading achievements of school students from across the state were celebrated in style last week at the 2018 NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge acknowledgment ceremony.
Belrose class winners in Premier’s challenge
The next generation of authors, illustrators and artists from a school in Belrose take home a division in the 2018 Premier’s Reading Challenge NewsLocal Words and Art Competition.