Writing contest winner reads comics

Writing contest winner reads comics

JAKARTA (JP): First prize winner of a writing competition on
reading said yesterday that she liked reading comic strips best.

Yulista Juviani Jane, 17, said she liked reading comic strips,
because they were amusing, even though they were unchallenging to
read.

She said she especially liked detective comics because they
were interesting to read and had a variety of stories.

The second-year high school student of SMU 47, South Jakarta,
said novels and serious works were interesting, "but I don't have
enough time to read them," she said.

With comic strips, she said, "you can get all kinds of
stories, such as in biographies and science."

Yulista said she still has no idea what she will do with her
Rp 500,000 (US$205) award, but she will definitely buy some
books.

Yulista is the first winner of the writing contest, under the
theme "Reading is Fun". It was sponsored by the Association of
Indonesian Book Publishers (IKAPI), Kompas and The Jakarta Post
dailies, and PT Gramedia.

Second and third-place winners were Dessy Anggraeni of Santa
Theresia High School, Jakarta, and Diah Istiani K. of SMU 2
Bekasi, who received Rp 350,000 and Rp 250,000 respectively.

The writing contest for teachers was won by Nuryadi
Wijiharjono of Muhammadiyah 11 High School, with runners up being
Barth Dullah of Budi Mulia High School and Hermanto of SMU 87.

Each received Rp 1,500,000, Rp 1,000,000 and Rp 750,000
respectively.

The contest required teachers to write on their experiences to
help encourage students to read.

There were also consolation prizes given. The first
consolation prize was given to Arief Herdiyanto, a teacher from
Don Bosco High School in Kelapa Gading, East Jakarta. He said
that students should review books that they read. Book reviews
are rare among school assignments.

Arief said only students of primary and junior high schools
were encouraged to read because those from senior high schools
were too busy preparing for the university entrance exam.

"We have a program for them (primary and junior students) to
read at least one book a week, and they have to read it in the
school library at least one day a week under supervision," he
said.

The prize ceremony was followed by a seminar on the
involvement of mass media and advertising agencies in encouraging
reading as a hobby among teenagers.

The aim of the contest was to promote reading habits,
particularly among students. (12)