In an effort to encourage more rural school children and families to get into reading and writing, three accomplished Kiwi authors visited Pirinoa and Kahutara schools last week as a part of Featherston Booktown’s [FBT] first Rural Readers Outreach Programme.
The pilot programme funded by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage involved authors Gavin Bishop, Mary-anne Scott, and Philippa Werry delivering workshops, readings, and activities, and answering questions the school children had about reading and writing.
Featherston Booktown operations manager Mary Biggs told the Times-Age the three authors were chosen by both Piriona principal Richard Goodyear and Kahutara’s acting principal Inga Munro to be a part of the programme due to the appeal of their books for country kids.
“The content of their work would reflect the life that the school kids knew,” said Biggs, adding that the writers were delighted with the kids, who were all “down-to-earth, uncomplicated, and soaking everything up”.
“It was truly wonderful to see the students of both schools captivated by and engaging with the authors,” she said.
“The children asked intelligent and thoughtful questions of their guests, and a number of students decided that they wanted to become a writer and/or illustrator one day as well.”
The possibility of the programme involving more Wairarapa rural schools in the future depends on funding, Biggs said.
“If we could, we would love to extend it, but who knows what funds we’ll be able to tap into next year.”
In May during the annual Booktown Festival, FBT donated $15 book vouchers to all of the primary-aged school children in South Wairarapa as a part of its Book Voucher Project, and Transit provided free coaches from Piriona and Kahutara School the day after the festival finished for the young recipients to spend their vouchers on a book in Featherston.
“It was the most exciting hour I had spent in a long time with these little kids; so excited to think that they had this money to spend on a book,” Biggs said.
“For some of these children, it is the first time they have had their own money to spend and the first time for them to choose a book themselves.”
Adding the icing on top of the cake was the end of the first day of the programme, where both schools battled it out in a Community Bake-off – a challenge fuelled by a long-running, healthy school rivalry.
Kahutara School took home the Most Creative Production award, while Pirinoa School secured the Most Tasty Cake award, and both schools were given handmade trophies made by the Featherston Menz Shed.
“The community event in Kahutara Hall was very well attended,” Biggs said, “with 50 per cent more people than initially expected. All in all, it was a very successful and inspiring couple of days.”
