Literacy Week 2025

Next week we celebrate Literacy Week at Mount Alvernia College.  Like Book Week, celebrated in many primary schools, Literacy Week invites students into the world of literature through displays, events and promotions. 

Additionally, Literacy Week draws attention to the privilege of education and the ability to read and write. Throughout the week, we highlight the opportunities available to those who are literate and raise awareness about the issues of illiteracy still facing many nationally and internationally. 

Research consistently shows that reading for pleasure leads to enhanced academic performance, social engagement and personal development. For modern youth, however, there are many factors competing for their attention, and this can interrupt deep, quality reading time. Literacy Week is a time where we draw students’ attention to the valuable role reading plays in life and success. For parents who wish to encourage reading, research also suggests that role modelling reading is one way for our young people to see reading as an important and valuable activity – so please use Literacy Week as an excuse to pull up a chair and spend some time reading next week!

Literacy Week Program

The theme for the 2025 Literacy Week Program is Reading is Magic and we have planned an exciting program for all students to get involved with reading, writing and the joy of words to ultimately celebrate the privilege that literacy affords.

The Mount Alvernia College Inter-House Spelling Bee

In preparation for the main events next week, we held inter-house Spelling Bee heats this week. In total, 341 students participated in the heats and the competition was fierce. In one heat, we even had to consult the dictionary after working our way through all the levels of vocabulary that we had prepared. The winner of each heat will represent their house in the Spelling Bee final on College Assembly next Thursday. 

Writer in Residence: Joel Spreadborough

A key event in the Literacy Week program is an afternoon Writer’s Workshop with journalist, Joel Spreadborough. Joel is a highly accomplished journalist in the national media scene and is currently a broadcaster with ABC Radio. His previous roles include TV reporter and producer, print journalist and creative director. Students attending the event will have the opportunity to workshop writing ideas with Joel. 

Magic Show

In line with the theme of the week, students will also be invited to attend a lunch-time magic show performed by members of College Staff. This is going to be lots of fun. In case you are wondering what is the connection to literacy? The illusions and magic tricks will prompt students to question what they see, boosting critical thinking and curiosity. In an age of proliferation of fake news, misinformation and AI deep fakes, teaching students to question what they see is a crucial skill to being literate in the modern world.

International Women’s Day High Tea

The International Women’s Day High Tea will conclude our Literacy Week celebrations. This is an annual event for parents, students, and members of our broader community. This year, the key note speaker at the event is world record-breaking paddler, community leader, speaker, and author, Bonnie Hancock. We are looking forward to what promises to be an inspirational exploration into resilience and the ability to find joy in challenging moments. 

Stay tuned to College and iCentre social media for photos from all the exciting events during Literacy Week.