Somerset Storyfest 2023

The English Faculty/Library joint 'Literary Committee' successfully led 48 excited year 11 and 12 Literature/General English students to the Gold Coast in the last week of term one.

The Shalom students were complimented on their behaviour and presentation so congratulations to them for their brilliant conduct.

Thank you also to our adventurous teachers Louise Hume, Jo-Ann Thomson, and George Church for accompanying the students.

Special mention to the fabulous Fleur Wooldridge for her superb organisational skills. Fleur picked up from where Kim Toll left off at the end of last year, a big thank you to Kim also for all her work with the preliminary planning.

We already know that literacy is vital for the development of a child’s vocabulary, and of course basic language skills profoundly affect their opportunities in life. Did you also know that engaging in reading creates warm emotional bonds that can last a lifetime and influence development in other areas, like ethical standards, attitude, creativity and innovative thinking, open-mindedness, and positive societal interactions.

Programs such as the Somerset Storyfest promote engagement on another level, hearing the conversations between the students about meeting their literary heroes and sounding almost star-struck is wonderful. Professional writers imparting their knowledge and sharing their enthusiasm for the written word with the next generation will only help to augment their interest.