Library pushes summer reading
Its motto is “Reading is Development and Development is Reading” and this week the National Library Service is trying to etch that concept on the minds of primary school children. The annual summer reading program, through sponsorship from Bowen and Bowen, challenges hundreds of children ages five to thirteen to explore the exciting world of books. According to Library Assistant Yvonne Bevans, this year the programme is focusing on one of Belize’s most valuable natural resources.
Yvonne Bevans, Library Assistant, Port Loyola Library
“This program that we are having is on the rainforest of Belize, the tropical rainforest of Belize. And the objective is to foster an appreciation to the children of our beautiful country. Let them know about our beautiful country.”
“We are doing it in this way: we have them reading and we get their feedback, what they have learned…We’ll be preparing a programme for this evening, whereby everybody will be taking part on what they have learned about the rainforest and they will be doing poems, some of them relating to the rainforest, to the environment.”
Michael Novelo, St. John Vianney School
“This is all about the rainforest and the different animals in the rainforest, and all types. And they have the rabbit, turtle, fishes, fox, tarantula and monkey or baboon or some one of them.”
Patrick Jones
“How important is the rainforest to Belize?”
Michael Novelo
“I would say it’s very important because it attracts tourists and ring in some income for Belize from tourists. It gives you beautiful sites that you could come watch, and I think it’s very exciting to go exploring through the forest and things like that and different animals to see.”
Patrick Jones
“Before you come dah this camp, you mi know bout the rainforest?
Michael Novelo
“Only a bit; a portion of it.”
Bevans says one hundred and twenty-five children from the Port Loyola area are enrolled in the reading programme, which ends on Friday. The camp is being held simultaneously at the three branches of the National Library Service in Belize City.
