There are rewards when it comes to reading, and Sunday’s party to honor St. John students who read five or more books over the summer in the Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge was one of them.
“I wanted to come here,” Wadari Powell, 10, said after noting that he didn’t really like reading all that much, but the party at Julius E. Sprauve School was a big enticement to read the obligatory five books.
A total of 243 students registered in advance for party but more showed up as the festivities unfolded. Alice Krall, an aide to Gov. John deJongh on St. John, said that this year had the highest number of St. John students participating. And she said a record 1,305 students territorywide read the required five books.
Four of the St. John students were gathered in Sprauve School’s cafeteria waiting for the activities to begin. Tashani Williams, 9, said “Dog Diary” was her favorite of the 10 she read over the summer.
“She’s almost like me,” she said of the book’s main character.
Aaliyah Lord, 12, explained that her favorite book of the 10 she read, “The Lord of the Flies,” was about people stranded on an island.
“And kind of what you would do if you were stranded on an island,” she said.
Ki’andre Hendricks, preferred “The Amazing Day of Abby Hayes.”
“She was like me,” she said.
Many of the youths came to the party with their parents. Elvis Sprauve, who son Ameir is in the eighth grade, is a big fan of the Summer Reading Challenge.
“Lots of children don’t like to read,” he said.
However, he called on parents to set a good example by reading themselves. No stranger to books, Sprauve said he’s currently reading “Like Father, Like Son,” a book about fathers parenting children. He also urged parents, especially fathers, to get involved with their children’s schools.
DeJongh said that parents are big motivators when it comes to fostering reading in their children.
He said the program is aimed at reducing the loss in reading skills experienced by many children over the summer.
“And it opens up a different world,” the governor said.
The day featured a slew of activities, including arts and crafts like umbrella, pinwheel and bracelet painting, a photo booth, music, food, and a bouncy house in the adjacent Winston Wells ballfield.
Rose Maduro was busy painting faces and arms of those at the event.
“For the girls, I have flowers, hearts and butterflies, and for the boys sea turtles, sharks or a car,” she said.
Teen volunteers from area high schools were on hand to help.
“You can’t live in the community and not find ways to give back,” Raven Phillips, 16 and a St. John resident who attends Ivanna Eudora Kean High School on St. Thomas, said.
Raffle prizes included eight Toshiba tablets donated by Toshiba, as well as two Dell laptops and four Chromebooks donated by St. John merchants, Krall said.
Krall said the Summer Reading Challenge on St. John, including the books distributed by Government House at the St. John Festival Food Fair and the party, was paid for by private donations. No one had a figure at their fingertips but several organizers said the amount was substantial.
