‘Tis the Season to be Reading
‘tis the season to be reading and today, children from across Belize City flocked to the Leo Bradley Library to participate in an annual Christmas party hosted by four Belize City based libraries. Dozens of children participated in games, winning prizes and got the chance to be read a story by Santa Clause. Hipolito Novelo reports.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Reading is fundamental to acquiring knowledge and today the Leo Bradley Library in conjunction with three other Belize City based libraries hosted the annual Old Year Reading Program- a Christmas Party for the kids as a reward for their membership at the libraries throughout the year. These children, during the year, participated in several reading programmes and today they got the chance to make new friends, play several different games, and win prizes- all in the spirit of spreading the Christmas cheer.
Sarah Castillo
Sarah Castillo, Senior Library Assistant
“We have games in all the different areas. Upstairs we have movies that they can sit down and watch. Outside under the tent we also have activities and of course we have our Santa Clause here with us.”
And as Santa Claus read to some of the children, many of the kids found themselves enjoying the games stationed throughout the library.
Kerwin Gill
Kerwin Gill, 10-Year-Old Participant
“Today we are doing games that are very fun. We have balloon toss; we have to pop the balloon and answer a question to get a prize. We have the ring toss game where you have to throw the ring on Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeers’ horns or antlers.”
Hipolito Novelo
“So you are having fun?”
Kerwin Gill
“Yes sir.”
Hipolito Novelo
“You’ve been good boy this year?”
Kerwin Gill
“Yes sir.”
Hipolito Novelo
“You think you’ll get a gift from Santa?”
Kerwin Gill
“Yes sir.”
Hipolito Novelo
“What type of gifts are you expecting?”
Kerwin Gill
“A would want a Playstation and a wanted a phone.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Aren’t you a bit young to have a phone?”
Kerwin Gill
“No. Some kids my age have a phone.”
Elena Villamil
Elena Villamil, 10-Year-Old Participant
“They have all of kind of games that you can win prizes for.”
Hipolito Novelo
“You played those games?”
Elena Villamil
“I played the one to find the puzzles and then I won a puzzle. I played one with riddles and then I won a folder.”
Hipolito Novelo
“What’s your wish?”
Elena Villamil
“To have a new phone.”
Corniesha Carcamo
Corniesha Carcamo, 8-Year-Old Participant
“You have to get the balloon, blow it and push it to the cup and the cup go and you win a prize.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Did you win the game?”
Corniesha Carcamo
“Yes, sir.”
Hipolito Novelo
“What prize did you win?”
Corniesha Carcamo
“I win a bubble phone and a pencil.”
Hipolito Novelo
“So you are happy?”
Corniesha Carcamo
“Yes sir.”
For the organizers, it’s much more than fun. It’s about encouraging the children to keep on reading.
Sarah Castillo
“Well it’s really important. Amongst all the activities we always encourage them to read. Although school is close, our libraries will not be close only during the Christmas holiday itself. During the entire school closing, we will still be open so that they can still come in and read the book just to keep up with their studies and keep on reading. I always enjoy working with the kids. It’s really good having them come in and read but having them expose to a library surrounding, it feels good.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
