Reading contest is a great success

By Kristena Schutt-Moore

This is the second year for students in the Inuit, First Nations, Indigenous Studies Class at North Hastings High School compete in the Taylor Reads Indigenous novel competition. Leading up to Wednesday, March 3 students had five weeks of reading and learning about their Indigenous themed novels.

Students had to learn about their plot, the characters, the setting and atmosphere of their novels, elements of narration and literacy devices as well as understanding Indigenous worldviews, issues and perspectives in their novels. The goal of this competition, which the students named after they teacher Heather Taylor, is to make a connection to the material learned in class. Taylor wanted the students to understand how they can contribute to reconciliation. In addition, the students learned to work collaboratively, and problem solve issues as they arose.

On March 3 the students made a presentation of what they read to a panel of judges and their fellow class mates and convince them that their novel was the best one to read. The goal of this was to have the students hone their oral communication skills, present to a large audience and gain confidence in themselves and each other.

The winning novel was Where the Rivers Meet by Don Sawyer read by Alyssa Carol. Evelyn Pulvermacher and Haley Hass. In second place was the novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexis and read by Haley Maracle and Shyanne L'Esperance. The third place novel was Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice and read by Ty Beauclair.

Taylor thanks the students for participating in the competition and says she is, “proud of their individual accomplishments and overall performance.”