Never too young to start

At a time when gadgets seem to be taking over the lives of young people, eight-year-old Aidan Forde has created balance through reading.

At the end of a reading challenge thrown out by the Lions Club Scotland District to primary schools within their zone –  A DaCosta Edwards Primary, St. Bernard’s, St. Joseph and St. Elizabeth Primary Schools – Aidan emerged champion after reading 175 books over a four-month period.

A student of A DaCosta Edwards Primary, he was acknowledged by the Club and rewarded for his achievement last Friday. General Manager of Cloister Book Store Joyce McQuilkin offered him a $100 voucher while encouraging him to continue reading as much as he could.   

Aidan is at the top of his class at present, according to Principal Laureen Hinds.

Although he admits that his other hobby is playing video games, it does not subtract from his love for books. Commenting that he started reading from age “one and a half,” Aidan remarked that “reading allows me to learn about other things in life.”   

His mother, Clair Forde, who also teaches at the school, explained that he was recently diagnosed with a highly functional type of autism. He spends much of his time at home reading, a pastime which is also used as a coping mechanism, she revealed.

Aidan is a cub scout and attends drumming lessons at the Israel Lovell Foundation as well. He is the middle son of Clair and dad Antonio Forde; he also has an older brother, Nicolai, and younger brother Aamir.

With such a deep love for reading, obviously Aidan’s dream is “to become an author.” Asked what type of books he had read over the past few months, the lad responded: “Some were fiction and some were classics.” The books came mainly from the school’s library.

Aidan attends the Belleplaine Church of God. (SD)