As part of its corporate social responsibilities initiatives designed to empower Nigerian youths with quality education, leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has launched a creative writing competition for secondary school students themed Read2Lead.
The three-stage competition will see secondary school students hone their reading and writing skills while competing for millions of naira in cash rewards, a book publishing deal, and the chance to have their school library renovated by the bank.
At the end of the three-staged competition, the star prize winner will go home with N2 million cash, a book publishing deal worth N2 million and another N2 million to upgrade his/her school’s library.
The first runner-up will receive a N1.5 million cash prize, while the second runner-up will be awarded N1 million.
The first stage of the Read2Lead initiative, tagged: “The National Writing Showdown,” will see participants from across Nigeria compete for a coveted spot among the top 150 writers through a creative writing task.
Successful students will thereafter move to the second stage known as “The Sweeta Writing Mastery,” where they will be tasked with writing an alternate ending for one of the selected books they will be asked to read.
In the third and final stage themed “The Author’s Workshop,” the top 30 participants will participate in an immersive writing boot camp which will be anchored by experienced writers and facilitators who will also select the top three finalists.
To sign up children or wards for the initiative, parents and guardians have been encouraged to visit www.fidelitybank.ng/readtolead.
Registration ends on January 31, 2024.