Tauranga is doing its part to get more children reading, as the Wright Family Foundation announces their sponsorship of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

The foundation is funding two categories - the Wright Family Foundation Te Kuru Pounamu Award and the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction.

CEO Chloe Wright says inspiring literacy is her passion and she also hopes the sponsorship can help to bring encouragement to the writers of children's stories told in Te Reo.

'Both Maori and non-Maori speakers will benefit. We feel further honoured to have our name alongside that of Esther Glen for the Junior Fiction Award,” says Chloe.

'The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults is a perfect fit with the Wright Family Foundation's goal of ‘growing the good' in New Zealand. Education is at the heart of everything we do, and supporting literacy is one of our key goals.

'We want to actively encourage others to unleash their potential through education in various forms. The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults is a wonderful vehicle to support New Zealand authors to create inspiring books that ignite the passion of our young people.”

The Wright Family Foundation's desire to inspire young people through a love of literacy also includes support of the Kids' Lit Quiz, New Zealand Spelling Bee, and Young NZ Writers.

'A love of reading and a vivid imagination opens the door to education and possibilities,” says Chloe.

'Literacy is something we are passionate about, and are always keen to support. Our objective at the Wright Family Foundation is to improve the wellbeing of all New Zealanders and their communities through education.”

The announcement comes as the Kids' Lit Quiz, of which Chloe is Patron, gears up for the National Final in Wellington this Sunday.

A team from Tauranga Intermediate School will represent Bay of Plenty after winning the regional heat on May 22.

The Wright Family Foundation is a major funder of the quiz, which this year will hold its World Final in New Zealand.

Support from the foundation will pay for the accommodation, meals and educational excursions around Auckland for children from the participating eight countries.

'Without the support of Chloe and the Wright Family Foundation, the World Final wouldn't be able to happen in New Zealand,” says Kids' Lit Quiz founder Wayne Mills.

The Wright Family Foundation is also the sole sponsor of the New Zealand Spelling Bee, which is free to all New Zealand Schools.

The 2018 NZ Spelling Bee regional finals kick off in August, with the national final in Wellington in November.