Now that Volume One of the Just Write Big Book Writing Marathon, a project of the Ministry and Department of Education, has been launched and published, Volume Two is in the making. The initiative is to foster an appreciation for reading and writing among students.
Volume One was launched in celebration of International Literacy Day 2011. It was produced over a period of three years and contains an abundance of various pieces of writing by students – and has journeyed throughout all of the island’s pre and primary schools.
Monday, this week, September 8, was International Literacy Day 2014. Both the Ministry and Department of Education observed the event by reviewing the publication of Volume One of the Just Write Big Book, and unveiled the poster for Volume Two at the Teachers’ Resource Centre.
Ms Sandra Fahie, Education Officer, Curriculum, said in part: “This year, in celebration of International Literacy Day, UNESCO has declared that literacy is one of the key elements needed to promote sustainable development. It empowers people so that they make the right decisions in the areas of economic growth, social development and environmental integration. Literacy is a basis for lifelong learning and plays a crucial foundational role in the creation of sustainable, prosperous and peaceful societies.”
Mrs Chanelle Petty Barrett, Permanent Secretary, Education, referring to Volume One, said she had chosen for review a particular piece of writing entitled “Thirteen Birds” by Ariel Palmer, one of the primary school students. “I chose this particular piece because in my view the writer did a good job of creating imagery,” she stated. “Though simply written, the words were obviously carefully chosen and yet convey the intriguing life of these birds. The words used are just enough to give us a glimpse of the scene the writer seeks to paint, and allow us to use our own imaginations to paint the rest of picture.”
Mrs Rhonda Connor, Chief Education Officer, spoke about the upcoming phase of the literary project: “Volume Two of the Just Write Big Book will first journey to every form/class at Campus B, Campus A, WISE and the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) before it becomes available for entries by the general public,” she explained.
Mrs Connor took the opportunity to outline the National Writing Marathon Guidelines for students at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School and members of the general public. Among other matters original thoughts, poems and short stories or other such compositions are being solicited. The limit is 250 words and the topic/subject matter must be appropriate for pubic reading. Where possible, entries can be accompanied by illustrations.
