PS 8 Read-a-thon 2007 Is A Hit!
By Wendy Azzouni
Photography by Aki Tuccu
The second annual PS 8 Read-a-thon kicked off at Barnes and Noble at Court Street and Atlantic Avenue on Thursday, October 18, with story readings by several members of the PS8 community and a portion of the purchases that day going to PS 8.
Adults and children packed into the store to hear readers including students, teachers, and even Principal Seth Philips, orating stories and original poems, many of which had autumn themes. For the read-a-thon, students are asked to keep track of how long they read each day and solicit sponsors. Sponsors are encouraged to offer at least 3 cents per minute of reading. The read-a-thon lasts until November 15th.
"The read-a-thon is a celebration of reading and a way for kids to raise money themselves to help their school! What could be better?" said Ruth Katcher, one of the organizers of the fundraiser.
The event was off to a hilarious start with introductions made by Stephen Ringold, a clown with the Big Apple Circus and father of Max Ringold, in Ms. Foster's Kindergarten class. He encouraged all students in pre-K through First grade to count the minutes of being read to at the kick-off in their tallies. Books, stories, magazines and poems all count toward reading time outside the classroom, as do homework assignments, letters, directions and even recipes.
Assistant Principal Bob Mikos read Fresh Fall Leaves, by Betsy Franca, after which third-grader Madeline Mardiks read a poem titled "How the Leaves Came Down," by Susan Coolidge. Mardiks is currently reading the fourth Harry Potter book at home for the read-a-thon and is currently looking for sponsors.
Athena Foster, also a third-grader, read the Christopher Award-winning story "The Dot," by Peter H. Reynolds, followed by third-grade teacher Melissa Browning, who read her own poem entitled "Falling into Autumn."
Fourth-grader Franklyn Bade read his own poem, "Autumn Poem". Sabine Janssen, a fourth-grader, read Maurice Sendak's "Chicken Soup with Rice," a book she loves so much that she has it memorized, she said.
Mrs. Galishaw, a fourth-grade teacher, read George Upside Down, by Meghan McCarthy, in which a boy who at first is in a state of constant trouble with his school later becomes a superhero. Fifth-grader Amaru Lewis read a poem entitled "Fall Song," by an unknown author, and Zo Fielder, also a fifth-grader, read "Subways are People" by Lee Hopkins. Third-grade teacher Ms. Hayes read "What If," a poem by Isabel Glaser.
Principal Seth Philips finished with a bedtime story, 'How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight," after which families poured into the children's books area to gather purchases.
The read-a-thon last year raised almost $12,000 with only 10 percent of the students participating. The PTA has great hopes that a significant increase in participants will lead to even greater funds this year. With all enthusiasm at the read-a-thon this goal seems in sight.
View more photos from the book fair here
You can download the Reading Log HERE and the Pledge Form HERE (both are PDF files).
Posted on: October 25, 2007
