Nineteen schools take MS Readathon Challenge
EAGER READERS: Third class students Cian Hind, Tia Brady, Jamie Carr, Cian Duffy and Sinead Doyle from Kilmacanogue National School.
THE ANNUAL MS READATHON has been underway since Friday, with 19 schools in Wicklow signed up for the challenge, now in its 24th year.
In the north of County Wicklow, St. Patrick's National School Bray, St. Andrew's Bray. St. Patrick's in Greystones, Kilmacanogue NS, St. Kilian's Community School in Bray, and St. Gerard's in Bray are taking part.
'We find when children take part in the Readathon they become very enthusiastic and very focused,' said St. Andrews' coordinator Mrs. Copeland. ' They get very excited about books and reading so it's a really great way to get them interested.'
Moving down the county, we have St. Brigid's in Kilcoole, St. Patrick's Ennsikerry, Gaelscoil Chill Mhantain in Rathnew, Wicklow Youthreach and Arklow BNS.
The two longest-running participants are Arklow Community College, and Kilmacanogue NS, both now in their 14th Readathon year.
There is also St. Nicholas of Myra NS in Dunlavin, St. Ernan's Rathnew, Stratford Lodge Baltingless. St, Mary's Arklow, and Colaiste Bhride Carnew. As well as Colaiste Chillmhantain Keatingstown, and Gaelcholaiste na Mara Arklow,
Young people across the county started reading voraciously last Friday in support of MS Ireland, and they have until November 14 to get through as many as possible.
People read as a form of escapism, according to a recent MS Readathon survey of adult readers. Others read to stimulate and nurture the mind, or to gain knowledge.
' Thank you to all the schools across Wicklow that have already signed up for the readathon,' said manager of the event Cheryl Gunning. 'Reading is such a great activity and we are happy to encourage kids to read as much as possible while every bit they raise greatly helps the 8,000 people with MS across the country.'
The children taking part have the chance to win individual prizes, school awards, and raise some money for resources for their own school. The MS Readathon School Library Award is also up for grabs.
The MS Readathon is the biggest school-based reading initiative in Ireland and the key annual fundraising campaign of Multiple Sclerosis Ireland, the services, information and research society supporting people affected by MS. Last year more than 20,000 children in 630 schools participated, reading an incredible 500,000 books between them and raising €1 million for people with MS.
For more information go to www.msreadathon.ie
