The annual East Juniata Elementary Read-a-Thon is back, running from October 7th through October 21st with donations being accepted through the end of the month. This event is all about getting our students motivated and competitive in their love for reading.

Last year, students set an incredible record with a total of 68,150 reading minutes—that’s over 1,136 hours or nearly 47 days spent reading! This year, they’re aiming even higher with a goal of 70,000 minutes!

EJES’ top reading class last year was Mrs. Lauver’s with 6,925 minutes, and the class that raised the most donations was Mr. Gunkle’s.

“We’ve already got eager students signed up and ready to dive into their books, and we’re hoping to beat last year’s numbers,” said EJES principal Clint Mitchell. “Along the way, there are fun rewards for reaching milestones, including prizes for signing up, getting sponsors, and of course, the class with the most reading minutes and the class with the highest donations. The ultimate winners will get to silly string me—yes, the principal—and enjoy some well-earned extra recess!”

You can help by sponsoring a reader through this link. Just make sure to enter the student’s name when sponsoring.

“For those looking to support the school directly, we’re also accepting donations to our PBIS program, which rewards students for showing positive behaviors through our ROAR expectations: Respect, Own Your Behavior, Act Responsibly, and Be Ready to Learn,” said Mitchell. Donations can be made by check, payable to the East Juniata Elementary Student Activity Account, and all proceeds go toward supporting special assemblies, rewards, and our school store, which encourages students to exhibit Tiger Pride every day.

Listen to our exclusive interview with some Principal Mitchell and some of last year’s top readers here:

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