Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Hon. Silveria Jacobs attended the Rotaract Club St. Maarten Sunrise reading program on Saturday March 16th 2013 at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library.
The reading program, which includes the launch of the Kamishibai reading project, is an initiative of the Rotaract Club and the Philipsburg Jubilee library. The goal of the program is to get children enthusiastic about reading from an early age. The focus this month is on books by Dr. Seuss.
Minister Jacobs was invited to say a few words about reading and to read a story to the attending children. In her short address the Minister spoke of her love of reading which started at an early age when her mother would take her and her siblings to the library on backstreet for bi-weekly visits. She attributed the library for being instrumental in giving her the opportunity to experience the world through reading and the expansion of her vocabulary.
The Minister also encouraged parents to read to and with their children from an early age. In conclusion the minister read the first story of the Dr. Seuss book ‘The big book of beginner book’.
Aukje de Jong introduced the kamishibai reading program to the attending guests. Kamishibai is a form of storytelling that originated in Japan. Most Kaminishibai stories consist of 12 or 16 large sturdy, beautifully illustrated cards. The stories are housed in an illustrated wooden ‘suitcase’ De Jong started the project with 20 daycare teachers to encourage children to start reading. Several Kamishibai ‘suitcases’ are on display at the library till the end of the week.
PHOTO’s: see attached.