World book Day, despite the name, spans over the whole of the Month March. Since the first ever world book day, which occurred on 23rd April 1995, we have gone through sixteen, each one inspiring more and more young readers than the last.
World book day was started by UNESCO, an organisation dedicated wholly to further educating the world of young people in terms of culture and science. In St. Ailbe’s secondary school we take it very seriously. Even in the busy month of March, 2014, the students and teachers found the time to contribute. On Friday the 7th of March – which many would consider the main day of World book day – the TY class spent the day reading to local primary school children.
St. Michael’s boys’ school was filled with excited young children, bustling with the amusement of St. Ailbe’s TY students. It took a lot of work and preparation, but they managed to put on quite a show. The TY class was split into four groups, each one telling different stories from popular children’s books. They told tales ranging from dinosaurs wetting the bed to chickens being chased by foxes, and acted each one out. Some groups made their own puppets, and used them as entertainment. Each group went to a different class, so that the primary school children got to experience every story before the TY class of young entertainers took their leave. And when they did, all St. Michael’s’ students were left laughing and giggling in their seats. The teachers had a hard time getting them to settle down, the children were so pleased.
Aside from that event, St. Ailbe’s celebrated World book day in other ways. More time was spent in the library than ever before, between people researching their different interests and people simply out for a good read, it was truly a great month for literacy.
All in all the school did their best for World book day, what with the small contributions of all the students who frequented the library and the effort put in by the TY class to entertainand educate the primary school children. Not to mention the teachers who helped organize the day and went with the class. Well done St. Ailbe’s, we are proud…
Seán Glasheen
Josh Demarco
