Neleshia wins WE FM Youth Summer Camp Reading Challenge

Neleshia Robertson, a 15-year-old student of the St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown, is the winner of the inaugural 2014 WE FM Youth Summer Reading Challenge.{{more}}

When the final scores came in from the judges, Neleshia, a resident of Layou, registered a score of 19 out of 25. The results were announced at the closing ceremony of the challenge held upstairs WE FM’s studios on Wednesday, August 20.

In second position was Maya Abdoussala, a 12-year-old student of the Girls’ High School, with a score of 18.75 out of 25. She is a resident of Twenty Hill.

Third was Tyanna Kelsey, age 14, of New Montrose/Lowmans Hill and a student of the St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown, with a score of 18 out of 25.

The other two participants tied for fourth place. They are Ronese Augustus, age 12 of Richland Park and a student of the Girls’ High School and Lakisha Matthews, age 13 and a student of the Bishop’s College.

Ronese was adjudged the most improved participant and the participant with the best voice.

All of the participants were judged on fluency, confidence, voice and diction.

They underwent one week of broadcast training at WE FM from August 11 – 15, in an effort to sharpen their individual reading skills. They then competed by reading portions of the WE FM Midday and Three PM News LIVE On Air, on WE FM Radio on August 18.

They out-read many applicants, including five other semi-finalists, to reach the finals.

At the prize-giving ceremony on Wednesday, the main organizer of the challenge, Demion McTair, said that it was a resounding success.

He said one of the main objectives of the programme was to take the readers from “Ordinary reading level” to “Broadcast standard” reading level in a space of one week. It also sought to transform the participants, i.e. the finalists, into reading ambassadors for their respective schools and communities.

According to McTair, all of these objectives have been met.

He further noted that “emphasis was placed on the importance of phonics, articulation, enunciation, breathing techniques, reading with expression, style, confidence, finding the right pitch, summary skills, sources of information and the like… through practical reading sessions.”

Meanwhile, managing director of WEFM Julius Williams pledged that with support from sponsors, there will be an improvement in programmes such as the Summer Challenge, offered by the station in an effort to promote youth development and build a better society.

Winner Neleshia Robertson received a high-tech mobile phone from LIME. All of the participants got a knapsack filled with school supplies from WE FM, a meal voucher from Subway and a certificate.

The challenge will be held again next year.

This year’s Reading Challenge was sponsored by LIME 4G, Subway, Allan Smith & Family Bakery and Vitamalt.