Newtown Education Foundation (NEF) began the Reading Rocks! read-a-thon program on Thursday, March 16, at Head O' Meadow Elementary School, Hawley Elementary School, and Sandy Hook Elementary School. The program is running through April 19.newtowneducationfoundation.orgNEF's website

, students in grades prekindergarten to fourth grade are invited to participate in the Newtown Education Foundation's "fun and noncompetitive Read-A-Thon, Reading Rocks! The goal of Reading Rocks! is to encourage children to have fun reading and support their reader's workshop work of setting goals as readers, while raising money for the [NEF] - that means all proceeds benefit our public schools."As explained in a description available on the NEF website,

NEF President Allyson Story said on March 17 that the first day of Reading Rocks! had a "dress like a rock star" theme. Students at participating schools wore theme-inspired outfits to school for the day. Ms Story decided to host a read-a-thon after NEF learned about similar events hosted by other local education foundations.

According to the description of the program, students set their own reading goals and ask for pledges from friends and family. Ms Story said a minimum of $2 is asked for pledges, and all of the money raised will go to NEF for the 501(c)(3) organization to fund programs for teachers, fund makerspaces, and fund other programs to support students.

Reading goals, Ms Story said, were up to the students to set. Students could choose to work on reading for longer periods, reading different genres then they normally read, or to pledge to read to a sibling or elder friend or family member. The options for reading goals, Ms Story said, are endless.

Each student participant is also entered into a drawing to win a Kindle Fire e-reader. One will be awarded at each of the participating schools, according to Ms Story.

.Ms Story said NEF's goal was to have 100 percent student participation at each of the schools. The deadline has been extended from April 7 to April 19 for students to complete pledge forms, she added, due to recent snow. If students need more pledge forms, they are available on

Ms Story also said that each participating student "will be recognized for their participation at the end of the program."