READ-A-Thon 2026 runs February 19th-26th
The Read-a-Thon is organized by the HVES Parent Club and is one of our most important fundraisers of the year! Kids can win great prizes, both for raising money and reading.
read-a-thon basics
You register your family on the PledgeStar website, which incorporates tools for sending out donation requests, tracking donations, and logging reading time. Register and raise at least $25 by 8pm Monday, February 23 to take part in a special raffle held by Mrs. Stewart!
- Go to http://pledgestar.com/happyvalley
- Click the “Not registered for this event?” banner and fill in the blanks
- Follow the instructions on-screen to register students, edit your pledge request message, send out pledge requests via email and text, and share on social media
- Students should use the reading log sent home in Thursday folders and available below to record their reading, and parents should enter data into the pledgestar account
- Each family has ONE page, so donation requests will be sent on behalf of all the children registered, and donation amounts will be automatically divided equally between the children. Donations can also be made by check or cash. Make checks out to HVES Parent Club and turn them in to the office, or mail them to 3125 Branciforte Dr, Santa Cruz 95065. (Checks/cash need to arrive by the end of the school day on Thursday, February 26th to count toward prizes.)
- What counts as “reading”? NEW “eyes on words” policy for this year will encourage reading development in even the youngest students. Students can read by themselves, be read to by parents, caregivers, or siblings, or use a read-along program (such as Epic or Kindle immersive reading) if it allows them to follow along with the text while listening.
- Please don’t skip the “Activity” field when logging your reading! Enter as much information as you can. We will contact parents and teachers if something seems amiss.
| read-a-thon_log.pdf |
Prizes
*** Everyone can win a prize! Simply raise at least $25. ***
GRAND PRIZE – Students will take a luxurious limo ride to get ice cream during a school day.
CLASS PARTIES for 1) the class with the highest average money raised per student, and 2) the class with the highest read-a-thon participation rate (i.e. greatest percentage of students who have logged their reading).
MILESTONE PRIZES - Raise the designated amount of money — or raise at least $25 AND read for the designated number of minutes — and you WIN an Amazon gift certificate to buy books in one of these denominations:
SPECIAL RAFFLE - Every student who achieves a silver or gold milestone prize will be entered into a raffle to join in on the limo ride!
TREATS FOR THE WHOLE SCHOOL if we beat last year’s participation rate of 76%!
PRIZE DELIVERY – Prizes will be given out as soon as possible after the event ends, and the limo rides will be scheduled for a school day this spring.
- 14 students in the school who raise the most money (this is not grade-dependent)
- 4 students who log the most minutes, TK-1
- 4 students who log the most minutes, 2-3
- 6 students who log the most minutes, 4-6
CLASS PARTIES for 1) the class with the highest average money raised per student, and 2) the class with the highest read-a-thon participation rate (i.e. greatest percentage of students who have logged their reading).
MILESTONE PRIZES - Raise the designated amount of money — or raise at least $25 AND read for the designated number of minutes — and you WIN an Amazon gift certificate to buy books in one of these denominations:
- BRONZE – raise $150 or read 400 minutes – $10
- SILVER – raise $250 or read 1200 minutes – $15
- GOLD – raise $350 or read 2000 minutes – $20
SPECIAL RAFFLE - Every student who achieves a silver or gold milestone prize will be entered into a raffle to join in on the limo ride!
TREATS FOR THE WHOLE SCHOOL if we beat last year’s participation rate of 76%!
PRIZE DELIVERY – Prizes will be given out as soon as possible after the event ends, and the limo rides will be scheduled for a school day this spring.
***IMPORTANT: Prizes will be awarded based on the reading and fundraising totals recorded between
Thursday, February 19 at 3pm and Thursday, February 26 at 8pm.***
Thursday, February 19 at 3pm and Thursday, February 26 at 8pm.***