CHILDREN and staff of Ballymore National School, in Dunfanaghy were one of only eighteen schools selected to participate in the ‘Every Child a Reader’ campaign in conjunction with Children’s Books Ireland.
As part of the campaign the school received a donation of 250 new books for the classroom libraries.
If that wasn’t enough, the children were assigned a number of reading challenges and activities to complete.
These challenges included:
•Taking part in video workshops delivered by famous authors and illustrators including Kim Sharkey, Shane Hegarty, Alan Nolan and Chris Judge.
•Creative Zoom calls with the schools designated Champion of Reading, author and illustrator, Juliette Saumande.
•A readathon as part of their homework.
•Writing book reviews.
•Illustrating poetry.
•Selecting a mystery book and bringing it home to share.
•Giving themselves a starring role in a popular book or series.
The aim of the project is to motivate children to read more, enjoy reading and expose children to other cultures and worlds through reading.
School principal, Cáit Ní Chuireáin, said: “I cannot thank Children’s Books Ireland, and all the other generous sponsors, for making such a difference to our school.
“The response from the children, staff and wider school community has been phenomenal.
“Everyone has a new found interest in reading and its lovely to see the children encouraging each other to read by sharing recommendations and opinions on books read.”
For more information on the project, or to see some of the children’s fantastic project work visit the school’s Facebook page ‘Ballymore national.’
