PORT ANTONIO, Portland:

The Portland Parish Library Reading competition climaxed last Tuesday with a special prize-giving ceremony at that branch, which saw the top finishers moving on to the national finals.

The gruelling three months of competition saw competitors battling away in composition, comprehension and reading in the different categories. Senior librarian in charge of the parish, Kereen Burton, views this as a success, one that has definitely enhanced the vocabulary of the participants.

"It's really a good thing. It is competitions like this one that help to shape the educational future of youngsters who are eager to learn at a tender age as their brain is more than eager to grasp knowledge. This competition is not just about reading, but it also involves letter writing, poetry, writing of short stories and other pieces, and one's ability to comprehend," she added.

The reading competition is held on a national basis, which sees the involvement of all parish libraries in Jamaica.

The category winners, who will represent Portland at the national finals in the different age groups, are Rihanna Dehaney (6-8 years old category), Ghasilia Stewart (9-11 years old category), Peter Hayes (12-14 years old), Ashley Marshall (15-20 years old), and Basil Stewart (21 and over).