BRONCOS HELP YOUNG READERS SCORE LITERACY GOALS

Brisbane Bronco Darren Lockyer is encouraging young Queenslanders to score literacy goals by throwing his support behind the Premier’s Reading Challenge.

Education and Training Minister Rod Welford and the rugby league hero today launched the Rugby League Reads Program at Junction Park State School.

“The Rugby League Reads Program is a great companion to the Premier’s Reading Challenge, which encourages students in Prep to Year 5 to discover a love of reading,” Mr Welford said.

“This collaboration is a great opportunity for some of our leading sportspeople to show our youngest students that reading does play a big part in the lives of everyone – even their sporting heroes.

"I’m pleased that Darren is championing literacy and reading by becoming an Ambassador for the Premier’s Reading Challenge.”

As part of the Premier’s Reading Challenge, students between Prep and Year 5 have been challenged to read 20 books between 22 May and 7 September.

Rugby League Reads is a One Community initiative that harnesses the profile of the game and its stars to inspire children to read. Over the coming weeks, NRL players and rugby league development officers will be going into schools to deliver the message that reading is an important and enjoyable skill for life.

“The Rugby League Reads program, with its book club, read aloud sessions by NRL players, and writing competition is a great way to promote literacy amongst young Queenslanders,” Mr Welford said.

Lockyer said he was honoured to be an Ambassador for the Premier’s Reading Challenge.

“It’s important that kids read a variety of books, newspapers and magazines, or even read online, to increase their general knowledge about the world and let their imaginations run wild,” he said.

“I find reading is a really good way to relax before or after a game.”

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is run in partnership with The Courier-Mail and supported by the Commonwealth Bank. More than 700 schools, 323 individual readers and 48 home educated students signed up for the Premier’s Reading Challenge this year.

The Premier’s Reading Challenge and Rugby League Reads were launched as part of Book Week, which is celebrated across Australia from 18 to 24 August to foster children’s enjoyment of books.

Rugby League’s One Community is a joint initiative of the NRL, ARL, CRL, QRL and Rugby League Professionals Association. Rugby League’s One Community has produced NRL bookmarks, posters and reading charts as an incentive for kids to become involved in the program and further develop their reading skills.

Media contact: Marnie Stitz or Emma Clarey on 3237 1000