Congratulations to Emma-Rose Williams of the Siparia SDMS Hindu Primary School who topped the Siparia Public Library Community Storytelling Competition, walking away with the J Tab (Tablet) courtesy JJ and Friends and other prizes. Williams and other pupils, ages seven to 10 years old, from schools in Siparia and environs, participated in the competition.

The competition, which was hosted in commemoration of World Read Aloud Day was intended to promote reading and literacy; improve the participants’ confidence level, language and comprehension skills, as well as enhance their ability to express themselves. It was also geared towards promoting the library’s services and engaging the community with a view to creating stronger stakeholder connections with primary schools, businesses and the Siparia Regional Corporation.

To prepare teachers to ready their students for participation in the storytelling competition, a one-day teacher training session was held at the library on February 21. The session was facilitated by Shana Lalla, Librarian III, South Region, NALIS.

For this competition, all participants were required to join the library and borrow six books from which they would select two stories to be told at various rounds of competition. The Preliminary Round was held on March 15, 2019 with a total of ten (10) children participating. They were from the Siparia KPA, Siparia Seven Day Adventist, Siparia Boys R.C., Siparia Hindu and Siparia Union Presbyterian Primary Schools. Each school was allowed to enter two participants. The top six (6) contestants advanced to the Finals.

The Final Round of the competition was held on April 29, 2019 at the Conference Hall, Plaza Siparia, which was made possible courtesy of the Siparia Regional Corporation. The CEO of the Siparia Regional Corporation, Anne Hosein, a representative from the office of the Chairman of the Siparia Regional Corporation, principals, teachers, classmates and parents were among the persons who attended the Finals.

The Siparia Public Library’s Storytelling Competition would not have been possible without the kind sponsorship of a number of companies and individuals. They included, Rodney Seemungal of JJ and Friends who donated the J Tab; Chelsea Sports which donated trophies and medals; Simar Enterprises Limited which donated games and stationery prizes; Damien Mohammed of the Mohammed’s Bookstore who donated a stationery hamper; Leo Doodnath of Unique Books and Sports Centre who gifted a stationery hamper; Rana Tobas who provided refreshments and Tara Teelucksingh who provided decorations. Certificates of Participation, flash drives and book prizes were courtesy NALIS.

All the Finalists thrilled the judges with the use of their voices, how they interpreted the stories, their content, presentation, suitability and ability to perform within the given timeframe.

They all walked away with prizes. Following are the winners and the prizes they won:

1st Place – Emma-Rose Williams (Siparia SDMS Hindu Primary School)

• J Tab
• Game and Stationery Hamper
• Trophy and gold medal
• Certificate of Participation

2nd Place – Adisa Dennis, Siparia SDA Primary School

• Stationery Hamper (Mohammed’s Bookstore)
• Trophy and gold meda
• Certificate of participation
• Flash Drive

3rd Place – Rickaya Phillip, Siparia Union Presbyterian Primary School

• Stationery Hamper
• Trophy and gold medal
• Certificate of participation
• Book

4th Place – Jael Atherton, Siparia Union Presbyterian Primary School

• Certificate of participation
• Book

5th Place – Risha Maharaj, Siparia Hindu SDMS Primary School

• Certificate of participation (NALIS)
• Book

6th Place – Tarique O’Connor, Siparia SDA Primary School

• Certificate of participation (NALIS)
• Book

The Final Round of competition was judged by Waheeda Deen, Librarian IV, South Region; Shana Lalla, Librarian III, South Region and Pearl Hamilton, Drama Teacher, Fyzabad Anglican Secondary School.