Monday, 2^nd December 2019

Students across Eastern Victoria Region have enjoyed hundreds of books over the past few months as part of the Premiers’ Reading Challenge.

Member for Eastern Victoria Region Harriet Shing today visited Bimbadeen Heights Primary School to congratulate the students who took part in this year’s Challenge.

They were among the 113,000 students and children who completed the Challenge from 956 local schools, 1,367 early childhood services and homes across the state.

Together, they have read more than 4.3 million books. To complete the Challenge, students in Years 3 to 10 had to read at least 15 books in the six months from March to September.

For students in prep, grade one and grade two, the Challenge was to read or experience 30 books.

Children who have not yet started school read or experienced 40 books with the help of their families, as part of the Premiers’ Reading Challenge for the Early Years.

More than 11,500 children from across Victoria completed the Challenge for the Early Years.

This year, the Challenge ran its first ever reader’s review competition, inviting secondary students in years 7 to 10 to write a book review of one of a selection of Premiers’ Reading Challenge books for a chance to win free books and a visit to Penguin Random House publishing house in Melbourne.

Parents of young children were also invited to share their child’s love of reading with the world through a new Little Reader Photo Share competition, to motivate other parents to read to their children before they start school.

Since the Challenge began in 2005, more than 3 million students in Victoria have read over 50 million books, which if you stacked the books would stretch past the international space station.

For more information on the Challenge, visit: www.education.vic.gov.au/prc

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino:

“We know how vital reading is to a child’s development and to help students develop their academic, social and emotional skills.”

“Congratulations to the students at Bimbadeen Heights Primary School who took up this year’s challenge!”

 Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing;

“It’s fantastic to see so many avid readers at Bimbadeen Heights Primary School.  I hope their participation in this year’s challenge leads to a lifelong love of reading.”