In our search for sponsors, we've found plenty of public and other money available for kids sport - at all skill levels - but none so far for "the sport of reading" even at the national level.
Money in the area of literacy (rightly) goes to more needy and worthy literacy programs. There doesn't seem to any left over to reward excellence at the other end of the scale - in the same way that sporting excellence is rewarded. And yet, as with sport, success at one end of the spectrum helps with development at the other end.
We look forward to the day when reading is no longer seen as an elitist pursuit.
We also recognise how lucky children who excel at reading are: both because they can escape into other dimensions through books but also because they often come from sufficiently resourced communities, able to accommodate and fuel their reading interests.
Kids' Lit Quiz communities overseas have responded to the need for literacy support in various ways. For example:
In South Africa, a country where only 7% of schools have functioning libraries, the Phendulani Quizzes promote literacy in under-resourced primary schools.
The Kids' Lit Quiz Canada supports the Children's Book Bank, giving children from less privileged backgrounds books to build their own collections.
Here, in Australia, the Kids' Lit Quiz is still in its infancy with 2013 being its second year of operation. We are, however, already looking ahead to see what we, as a community with a definite commitment to literacy, can do to extend the power of the book to all children.
If you have any ideas on how the Kids' Lit Quiz community in Australia can help with literacy programs and initiatives please contact Nicole Deans at kidslitquizaustralia@gmail.com
