With the rapid changes brought about by science and technology, it now takes a certain level of literacy to become a productive member of the global society. It is of utmost importance then that our children be trained to read, write, and solve problems so that they grow up to be global citizens able to transcend geographical, technological, and sociocultural borders in terms of beliefs and intellect. Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books in the world, knows the importance of encouraging literacy among the young, and commends all efforts at improving literacy levels in schools. Founded in 1920 as a single classroom magazine, Scholastic has since grown into a global organization serving tens of thousands of schools and tens of millions of homes in 165 countries in 45 languages.

Last year, the organization launched the Scholastic Readers Cup, an interschool competition recognizing the exemplary efforts of educators, from teachers and librarians to principals and schools, in improving literacy in their campus. The winners were chosen among educational institutions that participated in Scholastic’s Assessment and Enrichment Program (AEP) and Independent Reading Program (IRP). AEP and IRP are literacy programs which proved instrumental in producing significant improvements in students’ reading abilities.

The Scholastic Readers Cup is a tribute to the countless teachers, librarians, and principals whose work and leadership have paved the way for students to become better readers and good learners. Last year, the Readers Cup was given to a number of educational institutions including Saint Joseph Institute, Saint James Academy, Holy Family Academy, Don Antonio De Zuzuarregul Sr. Memorial Academy, Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Saint Paul College Balayan in Batangas, Santa Teresa College, Iloilo Scholastic Academy, Notre Dame of Greater Manila, Santo Rosario Academy, Saint Thomas Academy, and Ateneo De Davao University.

The Scholastic Readers Cup will be presented to a fresh batch of educators and educational institutions this year at the Crowne Plaza.

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