Children as young as seven stepped up to a microphone on Friday and read poems they had written themselves — the final act of a two-week Easter literacy camp that ended with tears, applause, and a reminder from the National Library Service that every child already has a story worth telling.
What began as simple reading exercises just two weeks ago ended with children standing tall, reading their own words to a room full of proud listeners at the library’s headquarters on Fairchild Street at the closing ceremony for a poetry and art competition held in collaboration with the Organisation of American States (OAS) Barbados office.
“We are here this morning to celebrate the creativity, imagination, and talent of our young participants,” Director of the National Library Service Jennifer Yarde said. “They have shown us that reading is not just about words on the page, but about discovering who we are… and sharing our stories with the world.”
Jennifer Yarde Director of the National Library Service (Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla)
The competition, part of activities marking the IX Inter-American Week for People of African Descent in the Americas, invited children aged seven to 11 to explore the theme “Reading gives us voice: Colour the world with our stories”. Their interpretations were deeply personal.
Winner of the poetry section, seven-year-old Alijah Layne from the Charles F Broome Memorial Primary School reflected on the value of books in his poem, “How do I find information?”, asking: “So look…… do you see the importance of a book?”
Winner of the art section, Kailen Corbin, aged 10, from West Terrace Primary School also entered the poetry competition. Corbin tied reading to his love for cricket in his poem, “Read It, Play It, Live It”, reading: “Reading gives me a voice, Sports show me the way, together they help me shine brighter every day.”
The ceremony also marked the end of the library’s Easter camp, a two-week programme designed to keep children engaged while building literacy skills.
Behind the scenes, staff worked closely with participants, guiding them from ideas to finished pieces. “The staff were helping them to develop a storyline so they can write the poetry,” Yarde said.
“The Easter camp is really a literacy camp too,” she explained. “They have reading sessions… they read books, they hear stories.”
She reminded the children that their achievement goes beyond prizes. “From today, you are a poet, you are a writer, you are an artist… and do not let anybody tell you anything differently.”
The initiative also carried regional significance. Erika Watson, administrative technician and officer in charge of the Office of the General Secretariat in Barbados for the OAS, said: “We did not postpone our commitment… to recognise the history, culture, and contributions of people of African descent.”
Highlighting the children’s work, she noted: “They told us who they are… they celebrated their heritage.”
“You read, you imagined, you’ve created, and that is literacy in action,” she added.
The competition also aligned with Barbados’ National Year of Reading, pushing literacy as a foundation for confidence and self-expression.
Yarde reminded participants that recognition went beyond prizes: “Whether you receive a prize today or not, you have already achieved something amazing… you used your voice and shared your stories.”
The library will expand its literacy push during its summer camp beginning in August, incorporating a national reading challenge across its branch network. “They have to read at least two books… tell you what is important about it,” the director said.
“Reading is powerful,” Yarde reminded the children. “When you read, you discover new worlds and when you write or draw, you create your own.”
(LE)
The post Children read own poems as library wraps up literacy camp appeared first on Barbados Today.
