by Smethport Area Elementary PTO
Students at Smethport Elementary School proved this week that the power of reading knows no bounds.
This year’s annual Read-A-Thon, sponsored by Smethport Area Elementary PTO, was a resounding success, with students, teachers and families coming together to surpass the school’s ambitious goal of raising $10,000. A total of $10,427 was raised with a whopping 40,648 minutes read by these motivated students.
The Read-A-Thon, a beloved tradition at Smethport Elementary, encourages students to develop a love for reading while also raising funds to support school programs, classroom resources and educational activities. Over the course of two weeks, students logged countless hours of reading, fueled by enthusiasm and friendly competition among classmates.
“Wow, what an amazing Read-a-Thon we had!” said Principal Kristin Zona. “Our students dove into books, explored new adventures and helped our school all at the same time — talk about a win-win. It was incredible to see their excitement as they turned page after page, all while raising funds to make our school even better. A huge shoutout to our awesome readers, supportive families and wonderful staff for making this event such a success. Keep on reading, because every book is a new adventure waiting to happen.”
The Read-A-Thon would not have been possible without the generous contributions of parents, family members and local businesses who pledged donations to support the students’ reading efforts. As a result, Smethport Elementary not only met but exceeded its goal, securing vital funding for future educational opportunities and field trips.
To celebrate the achievement, a special schoolwide event will be held in April, featuring fun activities like “dress your teacher for a day” for top readers.
“The Smethport Area Elementary PTO is thrilled to see our students so engaged in reading,” representatives said in a press release. “The support from the community has been overwhelming, and we can’t wait to see how this success will continue to inspire our young readers.”
The school’s top reader was Harper Rees, third grade, who logged an impressive 1,595 minutes of reading. Leading readers by grade level included:
- Pre-kindergarten: Oliver McCrary, 555 minutes
- Kindergarten: Bradie Rinamon, 810 minutes
- First grade: Charlotte Rinamon, 815 minutes
- Second grade: Ryleigh Fitzsimmons, 545 minutes
- Third grade: Maizon Miller, 1,510 minutes
- Fourth grade: Carson Taylor, 1,329 minutes
- Fifth grade: Liam Brown and Rosemary Birtcil, 480 minutes each
- Sixth grade: Rylee Balentine, 1,530 minutes
In addition to their reading achievements, students also excelled in fundraising. The top earner for the entire school was Ella Sherry, sixth grade, who raised $475. Grade-level leaders in fundraising included:
- Pre-kindergarten: Jaxon Conner, $251
- Kindergarten: Bradie Rinamon, $275
- First grade: Adriel Howard, $395
- Second grade: Sutton Bowers, $300
- Third grade: Paislee Fitzsimmons, $265
- Fourth grade: Donald Cunningham, $205
- Fifth grade: Everett Smith, $250
- Sixth grade: Kinley Smith, $240
