Highland and Washington Elementary Schools along with the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) are hosting a read-a-thon event October 19-30. The read-a-thon is replacing the regular PTO fundraisers that aren’t able to be held this year due to COVID-19.
Highland School Principal Chris Trostad said they are asking businesses to donate to the read-a-thon this year if instead of the canceled Bingo event if they are able. “We’ve traditionally held PTO Bingo which was our main fundraiser for field trips and teachers to put in grant requests to enhance classrooms,” said Trostad. “This year, we’ve sent out a letter to the businesses as we have in the past for donations. We do a one-time donation with businesses, normally to PTO Bingo, but this year we’re going to do a read-a-thon with the kids.”
This is the second year a read-a-thon has been held at the schools, but this time it will serve as the only fundraiser. “We did it last year,” said Trostad. “There is an online company that makes it easy to donate, so businesses, families, grandparents, anybody in the community can make a donation. It’s very simple to do. If they’d rather make a check or cash donation, they can also provide that at Highland School. It’s a little bit of a benefit that any donation directly, there is no percentage taken off that goes to the company that runs it.”
Trostad said they didn’t set a goal for funds to raise this year but are hoping to still have field trips toward the end of the school year. “It’s going to start October 19-30 and we didn’t really set a goal this year,” said Trostad. “With the COVID and tough times for everybody, we’re just doing a read-a-thon and whatever it brings in is what it does. We’re not sure if we’re doing field trips this year. We hope we can raise the money in hopes this coronavirus thing gets turned around and we can do field trips. Virtual field trips are the new thing right now until we get a vaccine or this pandemic under control. Then, we can get back into putting kids on buses and going to zoos, and different fun places for the end of the year.”
In addition to providing classroom grants and funding parts of the field trips, the funds raised also help cover field trip fees for those who can’t afford them. “If anyone has any questions, they can certainly call Highland or Washington,” said Trostad. “We do this together just like our PTO. So you can get ahold of Denice Oliver, principal at Washington School (218-281-2762), or myself, Chris Trostrad at Highland School (218-281-5600). We’d appreciate any donation. $5, $10, any donation helps. It helps sponsor kids that can’t afford their field trip fees too.”
Highland Read-a-thon: here
Washington Read-a-thon: here
