Reading competition 2026: Successful regional competition for sixth graders

Bocholt City Library hosted the regional sixth-grade reading competition at the media centre (Futura). A total of 12 pupils from secondary schools competed against each other to qualify for the regional competition.

The reading competition has been organised every year since 1959 by the Stiftung Buchkultur und Leseförderung des Börsenvereins des Deutschen Buchhandels in cooperation with the Bildungskreis Borken, as well as the libraries and schools in the Borken district.

A long time in which many children have discovered the world of books and reading for themselves. The many participants have long since become adults, who today probably read to their own children. Last Friday, they had the chance to listen to a new generation of readers who were able to demonstrate their skills in the Borken district's regional competition.

Independently choosing their own book, picking out an exciting passage and experimenting with their own reading voice - all this made up the first part of the competition, in which the children first read from their prepared favourite text for three minutes. "I've been taking part in the reading competition for a few years now and every year I'm still curious to see what books the children bring along for the first part of the competition - and of course I'm a bit pleased that some of the book characters from my youth are still there", says Claudia Alders, librarian and organiser of the competition.

After a short break, the competition continued with the foreign text, the selection of which was kept secret as usual and was unknown to all participants. The children had to face the challenge of reading aloud for two minutes from a text that was completely new to them. The jury, consisting of representatives from local libraries, schools and the book trade, then decided on the winners, taking into account the specified competition criteria.

This year, twelve pupils from Bocholt, Rhede, Reken and Vreden qualified for the regional competition. The best four were honoured by Deputy Mayor Gudrun Koppers and received book vouchers. They will now go on to the district decision in Borken on 28 February 2026, where they can prove their reading talent once again.

The pupils who took part in the regional competition in 2026 are

• Avi Giesen / Städt. Comprehensive School Rhede
• Oskar Höing / Mariengymnasium Bocholt
• Mia Idziaszek / Städt. St.Georg-Gymnasium Bocholt
• Leonie Kirschner / Bischöfliches St. Josef-Gymnasium
• Marlene Kraft / Albert-Schweitzer-Realschule Bocholt
• Josefine Lachetta / High School of the Mariannhiller Missionaries Maria-Veen
• Karlotta Mies / Städt. Gymnasium Georgianum Vreden
• Lars Osterholt / Secondary school Hohe Mark Reken
• Lukas Rensing / Vreden secondary school
• Milla Rotterdam / Städt. Comprehensive School Bocholt
• Mika Saß / Städt. Euregio-Gymnasium Bocholt
• Ida Storm / Israhel-van-Meckenem secondary school

The pupils who qualified for the district competition are (not ranked)

• Oskar Höing / Mariengymnasium Bocholt
• Karlotta Mies / Städt. Gymnasium Georgianum Vreden
• Mia Idziaszek / Städt. St. Georg-Gymnasium Bocholt
• Leonie Kirschner / St. Josef Episcopal Grammar School