Buzzer Bee and Penelope Rex want you to know it’s time for the annual Read-A-Thon at Bower Hill! The Read-A-Thon is Bower Hill PTA’s only fundraiser, and the book theme this year is We Don’t Eat Our Classmates. All proceeds benefit the students through awesome PTA-sponsored activities during the school year—class parties, Bower Hill Day, Bingo for Books, assemblies, the kindergarten welcome packet, the surprise gift from Buzzer Bee, and much more! Will you help us increase last year’s total, so we can make this year even more special for our kiddos?
Here’s how it works: Students pledge to read as much as they can and find sponsors to support them in raising money for our school. Our goal is to raise $40,000 this year! We are hoping each student can raise at least $60. This year we would like to start a fund to raise money to replace some of the playground equipment at Bower Hill. Any extra money raised over our goal will go towards that fund. There will be raffles, prizes, and plenty of friendly competition between classrooms!
PledgeStar
For our Read-A-Thon this year, we're using an awesome web based fundraising system called PledgeStar that makes it much easier for you to request pledges from your family and friends, and for them to make secure credit card donations online. It's fun and easy to use!
Remember, our Read-A-Thon is September 28 - October 11, 2026, so please register now to help our school raise as much as we can for PTA-sponsored activities during the school year—class parties, Bower Hill Day, Bingo for Books, assemblies, the kindergarten welcome packet, the end of the year gifts from Buzzer Bee, the Educational Enrichment fund and much more. We would love to raise $40,000 this year.
The Read-A-Thon is our ONE AND ONLY FUNDRAISER for the PTA. If every student could raise at least $60 we can meet our goal.
How to register on Pledgestar:
- Go to http://bowerhill.pledgestar.com/
- Click "Not Registered For This Year's Event"
- Enter your (the parent) name and email address, then click "Submit"
- Follow the instructions on-screen to register Reader(s) and add family and friends
When you finish, the system emails pledge requests to your family and friends, and allows them to make secure credit card donations online. You get notified each time a pledge is made, and you can track your pledge progress online.
Submitting Minutes
- To submit minutes, click on your Reading Log in Pledgestar. The Reading Log will open at 9 am on 9/28.
- Parents and students can keep track of their reading minutes on a written paper reading log. Then they can transfer them into the Online Reading Log.
- Students and parents can decide how often they transfer minutes into the Online Reading Log – perhaps daily, or every few days. Reading minutes must be entered into the Online Reading Log to qualify for class or individual prizes. Raffle prizes are awarded every few days for Readers who have minutes entered in the Reading Logs. Raffles are on October 1, 5, 8 and 12.
- All reading minutes must be entered into the Online Reading Log by October 12.
- You can submit minutes for all of your Readers on the same Pledgestar page. Click on your Readers name under the Reading Log and then select the date and enter the number of minutes in the other box. Click Add to save. Repeat this for any other Readers you have.
- You may enter minutes as often as you like, but please avoid entering duplicate minutes–each time you submit minutes, they should be minutes you have not previously entered. The Reading Log will be available for the duration of the Read-A-Thon.
Read-A-Thon Resources
Information and Frequently Asked Questions
Important Dates
- September 16th at 7 AM Parent Reader Signups Open
- September 28th Read-A-Thon Begins at 9 AM!
- October 1st First Raffle
- October 5th Second Raffle
- October 5th at 7 AM Medal Ceremony Parent Signups Open
- October 8th Third Raffle
- October 11th Read-A-Thon Ends at 9 PM
- October 12th Fourth Raffle
- October 12th at 11 PM, Deadline to enter all donations and minutes in PledgeStar
- October 19nd Classroom Medal Ceremonies
Read with Bower Hill Teachers and Staff
- Mrs. Keffel reads our theme book, "Penelope Rex We Don't Eat Our Classmates" by Ryan T. Higgins
- Mrs. Keffel reads "The Day the Crayons Quit" by Drew Daywalt
- Mrs. Keffel reads “A Friend Like You” by Frank Murphy and Charnaie Gordon
- Mrs. Willkomm reads “Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla” by Katherine Applegate
- Mrs. Willkomm reads “Michael Recycle” by Ellie Bethel
- Mrs. Redshaw reads “How Do Dinosaurs Go to School” by Jane Yolen
- Mr. Tupper reads “Abiyoyo”, a folktale illustrated by Michael Hays
- Mrs. Dyer reads “Fly Guy” by Tedd Arnold
- Mrs. Willkomm reads “The Dot” by Peter Reynolds
- Ms. Basista & Mrs. Zeffiro read “Fluffy Goes Apple Picking” by Kate McMullan
- Mrs. Keffel reads “Jabari Jumps” by Gaia Cornwell
- Mrs. Keffel reads “How Rocket Learned to Read” by Tad Hills
- Mrs. Keffel reads “Quit Calling Me a Monster” by Jory John
- Mrs. Keffel reads “Penguin Problems” by Jory John
- Mrs. Keffel reads “The Cool Bean” by Jory John
Need more help? Please contact bhptapresident1@gmail.com
