The students said reading will spark interest, expand knowledge and benefit their educational undertakings.
The students led by Saipan Southern High School librarian Sudi Napalan and Joeten-Kiyu Public Library executive director John O. Gonzales gathered at the mayor’s office to witness the signing of the Oct. 17-23 Teen Read Week proclamation.
Flores said people should read more and watch TV less.
“I hope every teenager will challenge themselves to read more,” he said, after the signing of the proclamation.
But the mayor said reading is not enough — you also have to comprehend what you’re reading.
In an interview, Gonzales said they joined the schools and libraries in “impressing upon our leaders, parents and guardians the need to develop a life-long reading habit and to fully utilize our libraries in the Public School System.”
He noted the increase of visitors at the Joeten-Kiyu library from an average of 4,000 to 5,000 to 12,000 every month.
Gonzales attributed the increase of patronage to their marketing efforts and pro-active outreach programs that reach the different villages on island.
“It’s amazing how students continue to utilize the conventional and traditional ways of reading hard copies of books and it is also equally amazing that students now fully utilize the power of technology so that they can expand their learning horizons,” he said.
The proclamation stated that the ability to read and process information is a basic survival skill in the global information society.
“The reading proficiency of teens has remained stagnant over the last thirty years, and the number of students who can read but choose not to do so is increasing, and the most effective way to improve reading skills is to read regularly and often. Too few teens think reading is a valuable tool for enjoyment and relaxation as well as for school work, and regular daily reading for the fun of it creates the reading habit for life. Parents, teachers, librarians, and all concerned adults can serve as role models by reading for fun themselves,” the proclamation stated.
