
The kids asked me to read their favourite section of The Boy from Willow Bend, and then my favourite section.
We’re always happy here at Wadadli Pen to promote progressive steps to improve literacy and the literary arts, especially among our youth. Come with me then to St. Mary’s Secondary (formerly St. Mary’s Centre for Excellence, a junior secondary school). I (your friendly in-house blogger, Joanne C. Hillhouse) was invited recently to participate in their kick-off activities for their Year of Literacy, a programme which will aim to raise the reading levels of the entire student body while exposing them to local authors and opportunities to express themselves. I was sure, during my visit, to tell them about the Wadadli Youth Pen Prize, as I expect that in this year in particular we’ll have lots of entries from St. Mary’s once the competition launches. Here’s a link to an article I wrote on the year long programme in the Daily Observer newspaper. And see lots of pics from the activities so far, below.

Peace Corps volunteer Norma Jean Arey will be assisting with diagnostic testing of the entire student body