Book fair raises funds for reading

Sultan Elementary School's Book Fair kicked off on Friday, March 30, running right alongside the school's Grandparents' Day event.

The book fair, which serves as a fundraiser for both the Sultan Elementary School library as well as the school's Read-at-Home program, will run through Friday, June 6.-áThe book sale will be open daily until 3:30 p.m., and is set up in the school library.

Read-at-Home is an incentive-based reading program designed to motivate kids to spend more of their free time reading books.-áKids who meet monthly reading goals become eligible for prizes, popcorn parties and other rewards.-áAs a whole, Sultan Elementary School readers accumulated 2 million minutes of extracurricular reading last year and have been well on their way to achieving that goal once again.

Parent volunteer Polly Bridgewater has expanded the Read-at-Home program by garnering community support in an effort to be able to offer more significant rewards. This year, she developed her new Classic Readers Program which was an effort meant to inspire kids to read more classic books. She partnered with Vick's Burger Shack in Sultan who offered to give free junior cheeseburger meals to any student who reads a classic book.

The student needs to be able to pass a basic 10-question quiz about whichever classic book they chose to read.

Funds earned at the school's book fair will help to fund the Read-at-Home program next year.

The school will also be holding its annual Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Carnival from 5 GÇô 8 p.m. on Friday, June 6 at Sultan Elementary School. While the carnival is a fundraising event for the PTO, it is primarily meant as a year-end celebration for the students.

"Mostly it's just a great end-of-the-year party for the kids,GÇ¥ said PTO President Elizabeth Emmons.

Gold Bar Elementary students are welcome to attend the carnival.