Scotch College

Victorian Reading Challenge encourages students to exercise minds

More than 900 Scotch boys accept the reading challenge.

Words: Kris Paterson • Teacher–Librarian

In 2007, for the third time, Victorian Premier, the Hon. Steve Bracks has challenged Victorian students to read 15 books between 1 February and 30 August in his Reading Challenge.

The aim is to encourage the students to ‘exercise your imaginations and minds, dream a little, and get away for a while by reading a good book’. Students completing the challenge will receive a certificate from the Premier, and have their names printed in a special lift-out section of The Age.

Responding to the Challenge, Scotch students from Prep to Year 2 are reading 30 titles during the seven-month period, while students from Year 3 to Year 9 are reading 15 titles from a list selected by teacher–librarians, librarians, and literature experts.

Last year 400 Scotch students successfully completed the Challenge, encouraged along their reading journey by their class teachers, English teachers and library professionals. This year 920 Scotch students from Prep to Year 9 are reading to meet the Challenge. (For more information about the Challenge, visit http://library.scotch.vic.edu.au/literature/vicchallenge.htm).