The final of the recitation contest themed “Reading Shenshan: Stars of Recitation Shine in the Future” successfully concluded on November 20 in the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone. Out of 38 groups of contestants, Peng Zhongteng from the Central Primary School of Chishi Town in Haifeng County, Shanwei City won first prize with his poem “I’m Proud to Be a Chinese.” The jury also selected two second prizes, three third prizes, a number of excellence awards, one best style team, one best creative team, one best organization team, one most popular team and six excellent instructors. Mr. Ma Qing, head of the judging panel, said that this competition went beyond his expectations. The players were well-prepared and professional in their recitations, and the competition was praised as “grand, elegant and noble.” Ma encouraged children to read more good books and learn from those books. It was the first time that the Special Cooperation Zone had joined the Shenzhen Reading Month, and the recitation contest was a highlight. Organized by the Shenzhen Xinhua Bookstore Co. Ltd., the event aims to enliven campus culture, encourage youngsters to read books and provide a platform for primary and secondary school students to show off their talents and cultural accomplishments. The contest attracted more than 100 teachers and students from 25 primary and secondary schools in four towns of the Special Cooperation Zone. After the competition, a school official said that the contest provided a great opportunity for students to show their talents and it was very well-received by students. He added that through recitation, students were able to admire the charm of Chinese culture, become more passionate about reading, improve their language skills and enrich their reading experience.(Yang Mei) | 