Wānaka Primary School (WPS) has won this year’s Erik's Fish and Chips Reading Award - and chosen to donate the winnings to the Wānaka Food Bank.

The reading challenge started last year to incentivize children in the Upper Clutha and Queenstown Lakes areas to read more, by offering any student who read five chapter books a free kids meal. The challenge was due to launch in all local primary schools this year before the Covid-19 pandemic forced it online.

Over 200 children from WPS participated in the challenge, winning their school the ultimate school prize, a package of Gecko Press books valued at $500 and $500 worth of products from Kraft Heinz, for the highest number of students.

Teacher in charge of the library at Wānaka Primary School Melissa Ashby said she was blown away by the success of the programme and how it had encouraged children to read.

Best of all, it was agreed that the school would donate the food products to the Wānaka Community Hub, and Ashby delivered them to Community Networks Manager Kate Murray on Monday. 

"It is wonderful to support families in our community during this time of the year,” she said.

Murray said there were “heaps of cans” lining the shelves of the food bank now and gave a huge thank you to the students of WPS for choosing to donate their winnings - and for doing the reading which started it all. 

Anna Arndt from Erik's Fish and Chips said the Reading Challenge had been a great success encouraging students to read during this tough year, and one of the highlights of the program has been the positive feedback from parents and teachers. 

Read edition 1005 of the Wānaka Sun here.