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Pearl Jorgensen is an avid reader these days but it wasn't always the case.
She'd always enjoyed reading a good mystery novel - but since improving her reading age by up to four years in 10 weeks she picks books up more often and finds them hard to put down.
The 13-year-old's stunning results are credited to a volunteer-driven reading enrichment programme at Penrose High School.
Pearl's instructional reading age went from a 10 to 11-year-old level to a 13 to 14-year-old level. A reading test showed a big improvement in her comprehension of what she read.
"I feel really good," said the Year 9 student. "I read before but not as much as I do now."
Yesterday, 16 students were awarded after completing the scheme, run with the help of Penrose Rotary Club. The students read aloud to one of 40 trained volunteer tutors for two hours a week. They also completed activity sheets.
Cherie Jorgensen was pleased with her daughter's progress.
"When I left school, that's when I became a reader. I should have discovered it at school too," she said. "I'm glad she did."
Secondary Principals' Association president Peter Gall said the most common type of high school reading programmes involved Year 13s helping younger students.
He said the involvement of community groups was much less common and a good idea.
Reading programmes also run in many primary schools, sometimes with parents acting as reading tutors.
Penrose High School reading programme co-ordinator Brian Langdon said a recent strengthening of the decade-old scheme had improved results this time round.
He said the one-on-one time with tutors boosted the confidence of shy students and, in turn, increased their enjoyment of reading. The scheme will continue next term.
