Students compete in nat’l storytelling contest
We usually associate the art of storytelling with our grandparents who would fondly recall the era of the mahogany camps…a time when the sound of swinging axes dominated the day and Anancy stories ruled the night. Well, the big mahogany trees may be gone, but Anancy is apparently very much alive and well…as Jose Sanchez discovered this morning.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
Primary students from all over the country participated in the National Library Service’s story reading contest zone eliminations which began in May. Today the finals for the competition were held at the Belize City Centre.
Mrytle Myvett, Co-ordinator, Nat’l Story Reading Competition
“The children are reading stories written by Belizean authors. We are promoting our Belizean literature and literature otherwise. For category one the children will read stories appropriate for their level. For category two they’ll be reading stories by Belizean or Caribbean authors.”
But the young Zee Edgell’s and Colville Young’s could not be on stage without a timely contribution from the Inter-American Development Bank.
Hugo Souza, I.D.B. Representative in Belize
“This year we’re trying to help the National Library Service. They used to have, until 1997 reading contest, only locals. They came to us requesting funding to promote a national reading contest. You know it costs a lot of money to bring people from the other districts to spend the night, so we decided to help.”
In category one, which caters to students from standard one to standard three, seven year old Dorian Villafranco from Sacred Heart School emerged as the best storyteller.
Jose Sanchez
“What was your story about?”
Dorian Villafranco, 1st place, Category 1
“A miller that had to sell his donkey to get money but the donkey drowned at the end, so he couldn’t sell it.”
Jose Sanchez
“How does it feel to be one of the best reader/storyteller around?”
Dorian Villafranco
“Good, very good.”
In category two, which caters to standard four to six, fourteen year old Karla Trejo of Louisiana Government School in Orange Walk won the top position with a story she wrote.
Jose Sanchez
“How does it feel to be the best storyteller around?”
Karla Trejo, 1st place, Category 2
“Great. I feel good, so excited.”
The children came from all parts of the country and there were no losers at today’s event. All of them went home with trophies and a story to tell. Reporting for News 5, Jose Sanchez.
The category one champion received a word processor and printer, while the category two winner went home with a computer, printer and scanner along with a two hundred dollar gift certificate.
