What is Reach for the Stars!!?
Reach for the Stars!! is a pledge-based reading incentive challenge program. It puts educational books into students’ homes and rewards them for reading – while at the same time providing schools, homeschool groups, youth groups… with cash and/or books.
What is the goal of program?
The goal of the Reach for the Stars!! reading challenge is for participants to read, or be read to, for a recommended minimum of 300 minutes over a two-week period. This is an average of 30 minutes per week day. Education experts encourage developing a daily routine of reading a minimum of 30 minutes.
Who can participate?
This challenge program can benefit any sized organizational group. This would include entire schools, individual classrooms, clubs, Girl/Boy Scout Troops, preschools, ECFE, church groups, homeschools…
Do they go door to door?
Absolutely not! This program will work best seeking those safe, mentoring friends and family members who will encourage them in their reading. Reading is a worthwhile endeavor to sponsor!!
What do participants get?
They develop a reading routine! They also get free books and other prizes for participating! This challenge program gets kids reading and keeps them reading by giving them books to keep at home!
How does the organization benefit?
Reach for the Stars!! has two program options available. Book percentages can be modified to meet the needs of the organization or school.
Two Program Options Available…
Fund Raiser Program
100% of the pledges are given to the organization in the form of cash or educational books from our catalog – divided as following:
• 50% in books to participating students
• 30% in books to organization
• 20% in CASH to classrooms, library or as incentives
Book Bonanza
100% of the pledges are given to the organization in the form of educational books from our catalogs – divided as following:
• 50% in books to participating students
• 50% in books to classrooms, library or as incentives
Importance of Books in the Home
A home with books as an integral part of the way of life encourages children to read for pleasure and encourages discussion among family members about what they have read, thereby providing children with information, vocabulary, imaginative richness, wide horizons, and skills for discovery and play.
Scholarly Culture and Academic Performance in 42 Nations M. D. R. Evans Jonathan Kelley Joanna Sikora
Regardless of how many books the family already has, each addition to the home library helps children do better (on standard tests). [Books in the home] enhance the academic performance of children from families as all educational and occupation levels, the researchers write, but the enhancement is greater for families with little education and low-status occupations.
Scholarly Culture and Academic Performance in 42 Nations M. D. R. Evans Jonathan Kelley Joanna Sikora
Reading is a ladder out of poverty.
It is probably one of the best anti-poverty, anti-deprivation, anti-crime, anti-vandalism policies you can think of.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
The more types of reading materials there are in the home, the higher students are in reading proficiency.
What’s Needed to Run a Reach for the Stars!!?
Materials to run a Reach for the Stars!! reading challenge are provided as master copies to print… student pledge folders, pledge compilation forms, posters and flyers. Social media images and sample posts are also given to organization, with step-by-step instructions.
A designated “Coordinator” is needed to…
Work with the Educational Services Rep by phone and email.
Print and distribute the materials to students.
Collect/calculate monies and reading logs from each classroom.
Bag books by student and deliver to each classroom.
A “Cheerleader” is also needed to…
Explain the program in an assembly or by classroom.
Coach teachers to encourage student participation.
Cheer on students in collecting pledges & to meet reading goals.
Do social media posts and send promo emails.
These can be the same person – or two different people, depending on personalities. Often a teacher or principal is the coach/cheerleader and the school’s administrative assistant or parent volunteer acts as the coordinator.
Reach for the Stars!!
Testimonials
“Our first Reach for the Stars!! event raised over $10,281 in pledges – with 192 students participating! So, $6,169 worth of books were given to the library and $5,140 worth of books were given back to the participating students! It didn’t cost the school a dime, and the students are reading! Now that’s a WIN-WIN situation!”
Nadette Waligora, Isanti, MN
Reach for the Stars!! Organizer at Isanti Elementary School
“This program is wonderful! My kids have set their goals much higher than 300 minutes and the books are flying off the shelves! We have to make yet another trip to the library!”
8 families (19 readers) participated and raised pledges over $1200! Sonrise Scholars Homeschool Co-op – Cambridge, MN
“Our first Reach for the Stars!! Event raised $6700 in pledges with only 170 students participating! Every year since then we have increased the level of participation. So far, in three years, we have given over $15,000 worth of books to children and have added over $8,000 worth of books in the classrooms and the school library!”
Thurmont Elementary School, MD
“Your program is motivating, creative and generous! And for our daughter, we are thrilled for the boost this gives as she steps into the reading world!”
32 readers raised pledges of $1400! Parent at Charter Oak Learning Center – CT
Book a Reach for the Stars!! event…
Our Programs for Schools & Libraries
FUNofReading.com offers several options for schools & libraries to raise cash and/or books.
TAX-EXEMPT?
USING A PO?
CASH FUNDRAISERS
50% MATCHING GRANTS
READING PROGRAMS
BOOK FAIRS
