The "Creativity, No Boundaries!" National Children's Story Writing Competition Award Presentation Ceremony cum Launching of Chinese Graded Readers was successfully held on 26 August 2017 at the National Library Building. The Guest-of-Honour was Ms Low Yen Ling (Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Trade and Industry). Other distinguished guests included Ms Ho Peng (Chairman, Board of Directors, SCCL), Dr Foo Suan Fong (Executive Director, SCCL), Assoc Prof Tan Chee Lay (Executive Director, Research and Development, SCCL; Acting Deputy Head, Asian Languages and Cultures, National Institute of Education) and Mr Pang Choon How (Director, Mother Tongue Languages, Curriculum Planning and Development Division 1, Ministry of Education). 

        Ms Low Yen Ling conducted an engaging storytelling session with Lynn Wong, an awardee from Frontier Primary School, and presided over the launch of the newly published "New Stars Island" Graded Picture Book Series (Level 1-3) with other distinguished guests. The event also included an award presentation to the 36 winners of the story writing competition. One of the highlights was the sharing session by Assoc Prof Tan Chee Lay on teaching with picture books. 

        Besides the awardees, the judges for the competition, the illustrators, teachers and parents also turned up. The event attracted around 200 participants. 

        The series of activities under the "Creativity, No Boundaries!" National Children's Story Writing Competition was jointly organised by Singapore Centre for Chinese Language and Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning. The objective is to promote Chinese reading and cultivate students' love of reading and Chinese language. After the book launch, 42 sets of "New Stars Island" Graded Picture Book Series (Level 1-3) were delivered to each and every primary schools under MOE in September 2017. The next event to be held will be the launch of the next three levels of books in April 2018.

From left: Mr Pang Choon How (Director, Mother Tongue Languages, Curriculum Planning and Development Division 1, Ministry of Education), Assoc Prof Tan Chee Lay (Executive Director, Research and Development, SCCL; Acting Deputy Head, Asian languages and Cultures, National Institute of Education), Ms Low Yen Ling (Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Trade and Industry), Ms Lynn Wong (Awardee), Ms Ho Peng (Chairman, Board of Directors, SCCL), Dr Foo Suan Fong (Executive Director, SCCL)

Ms Low Yen Ling conducted a storytelling session with an awardee

Assoc Prof Tan Chee Lay sharing on how to conduct picture book teaching

Group photo with the Group A awardees
Front row (from left): Dr Sin Joo Ee (Judge), Mdm Liew Kwee Lan (Judge), Assoc Prof Tan Chee Lay (Judge), Ms Ho Peng, Ms Low Yen Ling, Dr Foo Suan Fong, Mr Pang Choon How, Mr Khong Wei Hoong (Judge)