Extreme Reading: what's it all about?

As part of the latest efforts to promote reading at KEVI, Miss Lambe and the English Department have unveiled the “Extreme Reading Competition”.  We interviewed Miss Lambe about the benefits of this initiative and how to get involved.

• Why did you decide to hold the Extreme Reading Competition?
   
  We believe that reading is both fun and vitally important, and with the success of the Accelerated Reader Scheme (launched at the beginning of 2016), we want to keep reading as a central focus at our school. We are passionate about helping our students develop both their understanding, analysis and enjoyment of texts as well as developing their literacy skills and, we believe that introducing a competition such as this would be very beneficial.
   
  We don’t want people to feel as if reading is a chore, and instead offers a sense of escapism – something they can do in their spare time - and the Extreme Reading competition exists to encourage leisurely reading and to promote it as exciting, thrilling, fun and not just an onerous task that some might see it as.
  
  
• How many other schools are participating, or is this competition exclusive to KEVI?
   
  The Extreme Reading competition is just something being held by our school, open both to our students and staff. It’s important to the English department that both staff and students have an opportunity to get involved and show their love of reading – we have many members of staff and students alike who are avid readers, and this is a great opportunity for them to demonstrate their passion.
  
  
• Can you give us any examples of situations in which people can take an extreme photo?
   
  It could be anything – during a football or rugby match, horse riding, on the way up a mountain, like Mrs Dolloway, or maybe even just somewhere on your holidays – we’re really just looking for photos of reading somewhere unique, special - in a sense radical – somewhere just generally out-of-the-norm. It could be anything from whilst changing a lightbulb to being at the dentist – just somewhere where you wouldn’t expect to see someone reading.
  
  
• What is on offer for those who enter the competition?
   
  There is going to be an overall tutor prize of a Christmas party for the winning tutor group and an overall prize for the best individual student entry. There will be runner-up prizes too and also a prize for best staff entry.
  
  
• When will the result of the competition be announced?
   
  The deadline for this competition is Monday 11th December 2017 and any entries after then will not count. The winner will be announced just before Christmas, in the final week before we break up for the holiday. 
   
  To enter, simply email ([email protected]) or hand in your photo to Miss Lambe in U1.
   
  For updates on the competition and from the English Department, follow them on Twitter: @TeamEnglishKEVI.
   
  Article by Joel Lufton and Chris Austin, Year 10.