JIS Supports Braeton Primary Reading Fair

Braeton Primary and Junior High School staged its inaugural Reading Fair, to stimulate and foster a culture of reading, at the school, St. Catherine on Friday (May 21).
Held under the theme, ‘Read Today for a Brighter Tomorrow’, the day’s events featured reading competitions, story telling, a puppet show, parents competition, dub poetry, and spelling, disc jockey (DJ) and project competitions.
Booths were also set up by the Jamaica Information Service’s (JIS) Special Projects Unit, detailing the various activities and functions of the Agency.

Research Officer/Writer at the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), LaDonna Manning (right), explaining the contents of one of the agency’s publications to students of the Braeton Primary and Junior High School, St. Catherine, at their inaugural Reading Fair on Friday, May 21

Students were treated to a five-minute film on sexual abuse, after which they were led in discussions by the Child Development Agency’s (CDA) Access to Information Officer, Avery Nelson. Sessions were also conducted on drug abuse, personal hygiene, the penal system, the water cycle, nutrition and reproduction.
Head of the school’s Reading Department, Rosemarie Wittick, said the initiative was a means of improving the students’ reading levels.
“We have a population of students who are poor at reading. They are reading way below their reading levels and, therefore, we are trying to boost the reading in the school and that is why we have this initiative,” she explained.
She also said the response from the students has been great, as they have embraced the idea.
“They have gravitated towards it very much…because I think they have seen the preparation that we’ve done and they really like the idea. Based on their response, they are excited,” she said.
Ms. Wittick also expressed gratitude to the sponsors, including the JIS; Joong Supermarket and Wholesale; Sangsters Bookstore; Megamart; Maxi Department Store; Bryan’s Bookstore; Shimpson’s Wholesale; National Water Commission; Woolworth; Carlong Publishers; National Family Planning Board; Burger King; Dairy Industries; Bank of Nova Scotia; and Kingston Bookshop.