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)