The Great Reading Competition in 30 years

A festive moment in Víðistaðakirkja

Ásthildur Friðriksdóttir of Setbergsskóli won the Grand Reading Competition yesterday afternoon. The competition was exceptionally splendid, as in all previous years. Arna Hlín Ýmisdóttir of Lækjarskóli came second and Ómar Þór Karlsson, Hraunvallaskóli, came in third. One thing was different from before: Ingibjörg Einarsdóttir, the organiser and one of the competition's three founders, was presiding over it for the final time. She has run the competition for thirty years.Generations know the competition

„You have to stop at some point,“ Ingibjörg said so beautifully on the television news last night. The competition has flourished, and now some parents watch their children read just as they did themselves in their day – yes, generation after generation.

Eighteen children from the primary schools of Hafnarfjörður read. The festive atmosphere was great. „Thank you,“ said President Halla Tómasdóttir of Iceland as she thanked them for an exceptionally magical moment. She encouraged the children.

A bright future for the children

„The future is truly bright where children read as well as was done here and recite the poems with such insight and emotional intelligence.“ The President spoke about stepping out of one's comfort zone, just as the story the children read from was about. She spoke of the anxiety and knots associated with such undertakings at a young age.

„I'm telling you this today because I'm incredibly proud of you.“ They must have had butterflies in their stomachs, even a little knot and some anxiety. „But what changed my life was that I went on a public speaking course when I was thirteen and practised speaking in front of people.“ People go through feeling that they are not enough, but with practice, everyone gets stronger. „You have a bright future ahead of you.“

He read from the book 'Treasure Hunt in Granada' by Ólafur Páll Jónsson. He said the story was perfected by the children's reading and was proud. He sat, just like Halla and the Minister of Education, Inga Sæland, in the front row, listening to the children.

The competition originated in Hafnarfjörður

The Great Reading Competition began here in Hafnarfjörður in 1996 and five years later, it was introduced nationwide. Thousands have taken part over the years. In 2010, Ingibjörg established the Little Reading Competition for Year 4 pupils, and in 2013 she was awarded the Order of the Falcon for her contribution to improving children's reading skills.

„You always have to keep this alive,“ Ingibjörg said on the television news.

The children who took part:

• Ásthildur Friðriksdóttir, Setbergsskóli
• Óli Freyr Arnórsson, Skarðshlíðarskóli
• Aldís Von Árnadóttir, Víðistaðaskóli
• Andrea Líf Grétarsdóttir, Áslandsskóli
• Ómar Þór Karlsson, Hraunvallaskóli
• The Story of Sif Agnesardóttir, Hvaleyrarskóli
• Edda Margrét Reid, Engidalsskóli
• Arna Hlín Ýmisdóttir, Lækjarskóli
• Ásdís Inga Stephensdóttir Midgley, Öldutúnsskóli
• Thórir Sveinn Leósson, Áslandsskóli
• Anika Rut Stefánsdóttir, Skarðshlíðarskóli
• Áróra Lea Goðadóttir, Lækjarskóli
• Bríet Ýr Daðadóttir, Öldutúnsskóli
• Sara Sif Matus, Setbergsskóli
• Elmar Óðinn Davíðsson, Engidalsskóla
• Anna Sól Ísbrá Eiríksdóttir, Víðistaðaskóli
• Lára Sóley Erlendsdóttir, Hraunvallaskóli
• Hilmar Trausti Ingvarsson, Hvaleyrarskóli

Four were on the judging panel. Anna Þorbjörg Ingólfsdóttir, chair, Þórður Helgason, Hafrún Dóra Júlíusdóttir and Árni Sverrir Bjarnason.

A band made up of students from the Hafnarfjörður School of Music opened the programme. It featured Daníel Myrkvi Ólafsson, Matthías Werner Ólafsson, Nökkvi Leó Kristjánsson and Snorri Rafnar Birkisson.

Then, the talk choir of Year 4 pupils from Ásvallaskóli took over with a powerful performance. Inga Sæland, Minister for Education and Children's Affairs, gave a speech and the competition began, describing the resilience needed to sustain such a dynamic programme. „I hope that it lives on for as long as possible, for all eternity.“

Number of acts in the competition

A break was taken after an hour. Guests had coffee and muffins. Before the results were announced, so many very beautiful things happened. The students Oleksandr Zahorodnyi and Víkingur Hrafn Steinarsson from Skarðshlíðarskóli performed a song together. I never went south and Pietro Sismo Fortugno, a pupil at Setbergsskóli, recited a poem in Italian. Then Valdís Silja Daðadóttir, who came second in last year's competition, gave a presentation on a poetry feature.

Mayor Valdimar Víðisson then gave a speech at the end and thanked the children.

„It has been a real pleasure and a joy to listen to you, dear students, reading with such sincerity, confidence and ambition. You have done exceptionally well and deserve a great deal of praise.“

He then thanked Ingibjörg for her generous contribution.

„It's one thing to have a good idea, but quite another to follow it through, keep it on track and nurture it so that it lives and thrives for decades,“ he said.

„That is what Ingibjörg has done, together with good colleagues, with exceptional dedication and diligence all these years. For that, we owe her a great deal. Her contribution has had an impact on a great many children and young people, here in Hafnarfjörður and across the country.“

And that's not all. The competition always has its own prize drawing on the invitation. The card was designed by Ari Fannar Eðvaldsson in Year 6 at Áslandsskóli.

The winners of the short story competition are as follows.

• 1st place: Lára Sigurbjörnsdóttir, Áslandsskóli, The Gateway to Peace.
• 3rd place: Moritz Wilke Kjartansson, Lækjarskóli, with the story: A Friend of the Mind
• 3rd place: Kári Steinar Magnússon at Víðistaðaskóli with: What Are You Listening To, Elísa Guðrún Magnúsdóttir at Setbergsskóli with the story: In the Shadow of the Library

Ingibjörg then concluded the programme and thanked them for thirty years. „My heartfelt thanks, this is wonderful.“

Dear Ingibjörg – Thank you sincerely for all the years and for the strong leadership you have shown during this important and beautiful time.