Two Filipino kids were among the 10 children across Asia who were awarded the 2021 Scholastic Asia Young Storytellers Award (SAYSA).
The virtual awarding ceremony was held on the 22nd of January, 2022.
Cassandra Ysabel Ignacio and Phoebe Niguidula were among the 10 who best delighted the SAYSA judges who chose from the 70 finalists shortlisted from more than 1,700 participants. Scholastic Asia received read aloud entries from China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The SAYSA judges were Ms. Selina Lee, Vice President of Scholastic Asia, Ms. Christabel Pinto, Senior Director, Global Literacy Program of Room to Read, Ms. Catherine Wu, Scholastic Asia’s Reading Ambassador, and Mr. Peter H. Reynolds, Award-winning Author and Illustrator.
Among the 70 SAYSA finalists were these 14 Filipino kids, selected through public voting and judging by Scholastic Asia:
Cassandra Ysabel Ignacio
St. Scholastica’s Academy of Marikina
Eeva Cambria Bazar
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
Haquila Guevarra
San Sebastian School, Inc.
Jairo Stian Reolizo
School of Saint Anthony
Kayla Nevaeh Donnatessa Caparas
Casa Del Niño Montessori & Science High
Keizha Christine Salvosa
Good Shepherd Cathedral School
Lady Alyssa Kate Tan
Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu
Luke Adrianne Amaro
School of Saint Anthony
Phoebe Niguidula
St. Scholastica’s Academy of Marikina
Vernice May Bautista
Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College
Wyanett Doydoy
New Era University (Pampanga Branch)
Yasmin Binte Mohamed Yasin
Asia Academic Integrated School
Ysabel Tampus
Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College
Zairich Althea Castillo
Taps Achiever Private School
Scholastic launched the Scholastic Asia Young Storytellers Award (SAYSA) in October 2021, leveraging the use of the digital space to provide a platform for children to showcase their many talents. SAYSA invited readers aged 4 to 10 years to express their creativity through storytelling.
Scholastic wants to encourage children in Asia to be confident as they narrate and read from their favorite Scholastic storybook while instilling a competitive spirit and a sense of camaraderie among peers. Moreover, Scholastic wants children to be able to share with other kids their love for books and reading.
With the successful inauguration of the Scholastic Asia Young Storytellers Award, Scholastic Asia has announced that SAYSA 2022 will be in October.
For over 100 years now, Scholastic has been championing a love for reading and learning all over the world. In the Philippines, Scholastic is partners with over 250 schools in its Reading and Math Programs – PR1ME English and PR1ME Mathematics. In PR1ME English, reading aloud to students by their teachers, parents, and peers is integral in nurturing students’ comprehension and critical thinking skills, and instilling in them a love for reading. Scholastic Philippines is happy and proud that 9 out of the 14 Filipino kids who made it to Asia’s Top 70, including Cassandra and Phoebe, are from among its current partner schools in PR1ME English.
Scholastic Philippines is sharing the 14 SAYSA read aloud videos from the Philippines to the public as part of the WORLD READ ALOUD DAY (WRAD) Celebration in February. The videos may be viewed on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmqSEvEhhWS82yS0s3y1W9A/videos
As part of the WRAD Campaign, Scholastic Philippines is also sponsoring the Scholastic Voice of the Youth Awards – interschool contests amplifying the voice of the Filipino youth through reading, writing, and speaking. The contests are open to Scholastic’s partners in PR1ME English.
For more information about Scholastic’s programs, please visit scholasticph.com.
