Schools
Palencia’s Buddy-A-Thon Gives Students a Reason to Read
A fundraiser built around stuffed animals has become a favorite Palencia Elementary tradition, supporting school improvements while encouraging K–5 students to read with their newly made “buddies.”
By Colleen Jones
Launched for the first time two years ago, “Buddy-A-Thon” has become one of the most successful fundraisers for Palencia Elementary School and last spring was no exception.
Palencia students in grades K-5, with the help of their parents and other community members, netted nearly a whopping $18,000. The nationally renowned program challenges kids to seek donations from friends and family that earns them a plush animal called a “Buddy.” Qualifying students participate in a hands-on “stuffing day” to build and personalize and dress up their loveys.
Heather Flowers, Palencia’s media specialist, helped organize the event along with Principal Catherine Goodrich, promoting the fundraiser as a way to encourage students make their new creations their reading buddies.
“Teachers set aside time for students to read to their buddies in class and we encouraged the practice to continue at home over the summer,” said Goodrich.
“Students who did not purchase a buddy could bring a stuffed animal friend from home on the stuffing day so that they too could participate in the reading buddy activity.”
Parent Victoria Rosenbaum said the Buddy-A-Thon has become a favorite in their household.
“My children enjoy the individuality of being able to pick, create, and style their stuffy, and then share that creativity with their classmates in the process,” Rosenbaum said.
“Even my fifth-grader counts down the days until stuffing day. He enjoys creating his own unique buddy and choosing a cool outfit to go with it,” added fellow parent Lindsey Holmes.
Goodrich said each year, funds raised in the Buddy-A-Thon are used towards school improvement projects, with input from the school’s School Advisory Council. She said with testing indicating a need to boost math scores, they recently purchased a subscription to an online math program for use by K-5 classes.
The Palencia community is an altruistic one, Goodrich said. “Our school community is beyond generous when it comes to supporting our students and their education,” Goodrich said.
Other fundraisers that Palencia Elementary School have taken part in include a “Goodwill Bag-it Up” drive last spring, an online auction and the Booster Fun Run which will culminate Sept. 4. Funds raised from the Fun Run event are earmarked for additional shade structures for Palencia’s playgrounds.