Let’s Read Children’s Writing Competition ends with award ceremony

Teachers, parents and winners of the 18th Let’s Read Children’s Writing Competition came together for the award ceremony at the Let’s Read Bookshop in Oman Avenues Mall on Saturday.

Over the years, Let’s Read has chosen many different themes and subjects for the students to write about. Winners have seen their work published in the press and in the five books that have been published of winning entries to the competition.

They are: Stories of Our Ancestors, Tales with a Twist, My Homeown, Stories from Oman and My Favourite Place in Oman.

Sometimes the competition has focused on fiction writing, encouraging the students to use their imagination and create exciting stories. ‘This year, we asked the students to write a factual piece on heroism. It involved possible research into the lives of inspiring historical personalities, or famous individuals in the public eye, both at home or abroad. The third option was for the students to write about a someone known to them, someone who had had a great impact on the life of the writer’ said Jane Jaffer, founder of the annual Children’s Writing Competition.

Before the students could determine who they would choose to write about in the ‘My Hero’ competition, it was necessary for them to define what it means to be a hero.

Is it a person who shows great courage in the face of adversity?

An air ambulanceman who risks life and limb to rescue others from danger, as we have seen in Oman during the recent floods? Is a hero someone who has achieved great things and inspired others?

A child who has courageously fought against disease or disability? A nun who has taken a vow of poverty and devoted her life to others, no matter what the consequences may be?

Or is it a scientist who has

changed the world by inventing something beneficial to mankind? Many of us have witnessed journalists on our TV screens, risking their lives to report the truth. It takes extraordinary courage for a young girl, who has been shot, to continue to fight for education for girls.

Let’s Read received nearly 200 entries from 17 different schools and the nine judges had a difficult task deciding on the winners.

One of the judges, writer and poet, Roshni Goyate, said she was blown away by the raw talent and enjoyed reading about the inspirational characters chosen by the students.

The judges were: Roshni Goyate, Marijke Talyarkhan, Nadia al Taii, Fatma Mae saidkki, Dana Sarhan, Nalini Subramanian, Sue Tappin, Anisha Bansal and Rumaitha al Busaidi.

Jane said, “It would not have been possible to hold the writing competition without the financial support of our sponsors. We would like to thank Renaissance Services and the London Speaker Bureau for their assistance.

“We have been able to purchase laptops, cameras, smart watches, notebooks and pens with the sponsorship money given to us.”