By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

OVER 500 students participated yesterday in the annual writing and poster-making competition at Dandan Elementary School during the 7th Annual Young Authors Day.
School principal Jonas Barcinas said all 510 students from kindergarten to sixth grade displayed their writing skills and creativity as they held inter-classroom contests among students. First place winners in each section competed at each grade level.
“As part of the Public School System’s literacy program, our school continues to hold this event every year to promote reading among our kids. We used to call this event a book fair, but because we also acknowledge the students’ ability in writing their own stories we decided to call it Young Authors Day,” Barcinas told Variety.
Yesterday, the students’ entries were displayed outside classrooms while judges roamed the campus to select the top winners for each grade level.
In the cafeteria, the entries in the poster contest were displayed throughout the day.
“DES was among the pilot schools that showed high performance in reading…and we want to continue instilling in our kids that it is still our mission to encourage everyone to make reading and writing a habit,” Barcinas said, adding that the activity is also aligned with the NMI Family Literacy Consortium program of which he is the president.
“It’s a joint effort between parents and schools…we’re trying to encourage parents to take time and read to their children so literacy can be passed on to them,” he said.
Entries presented yesterday included legends, poems, biographies, fantasies and fables.
“It’s free writing and it could be about anything. We need to teach our students that when they write…they are the authors. They need to understand that concept because this will encourage them to read and learn more,” Barcinas said.
Instead of trophies and medals, individual winners were awarded books, school supplies, and gifts from community donations.
Also seen displayed yesterday were the 500 books donated by CNMI first lady Josie Fitial in January.
According to first grade teacher Cindy Taitano, the activity has encouraged her 21 students to write about field trips they have taken and reactions to stories they have read.
“It’s a fun activity and very educational. All my students showed their creativity in writing,” she told Variety.
Among the criteria in yesterday’s competition were creativity, presentation and student involvement.
Entries in the poster contest included Magic Tree House, Flat Stanley, The People Who Hugged Thess, Little Painter of Sabana Grande, Felita, Quick as a Cricket, A Family Apart, We Are Blooming Readers, Rainbow Fish, Chronicles of Darnia, The Earth and I, and Mirrette on the High Wire.
For the book contest, entries were Never Giving Up, Revenge, Swamp Monster, Hero X2, the Future of L.J., Lonely Princess, 2 Best Friends, Don’t Take Things, Leaving on a Jet Plane, and Alice and Mary.