Quick Links

• Read-a-thon Overview

• Donate

• Create a Fundraising Page

• Download a Reading Log

• Log Minutes Online - Elementary

• Log Minutes Online- BIS

• Prizes & Raffles

• Events

• Participation Stats

• Reading Resources

• FAQs

Read-a-thon Overview

The BCE Read-a-thon promotes literacy and a lifelong love of reading while raising much-needed funds for our Burlingame TK - eighth grade public schools. Students read, fundraise and win prizes while engaging their parents, family and community to show support by making supporting donations.

The Read-a-thon goal is for each child to raise $150 or more during the Read-a-thon. If we are successful, this would result in over $500,000 for our Burlingame Public Schools! Learn more about fundraising and/or make a supporting donation today.

While the reading part of the Read-a-thon lasts 5 days (Monday, Jan 26 - Friday, Jan 30), a lot happens before, during and following the Read-a-thon making this annual event a fan favorite. Keep reading for all you need to know!

Getting Ready for the Read-a-thon (Jan 5th - Jan 25th):

1. Set a Reading and Fundraising Goal: Help your reader set goals for the Read-a-thon. How many pages, minutes or books do they hope to read? How much do they hope to raise for their school?

2. Start Fundraising: Donations can be made directly to the BCE Read-a-thon Website and/or your student can create their own personal fundraising page to share with their friends and family. Fundraising begins in mid December 2025 and continues until Feb 2nd, 2026. It's a best practice is to start fundraising before the Read-a-thon starts to maximize your chance for winning prizes!

3. Build a Reading List: Start selecting books to read. Be sure to check out your local public library and school library.

4. Review the Read-a-thon Prizes with your Student: One of the best parts of the Read-a-thon is the opportunity to win prizes for reading and fundraising. This year we have 3 raffles in addition to prizes for top fundraisers and 5 day readers.

5. Attend the Library Kick off Event: Sunday, Jan 25th 1-3pm. Get excited for the Read-a-thon. Get help creating you fundraising pages. Choose books for the week ahead. Shop the Children's book sale.

6. Follow BCE on Instagram: We'll be sharing reading ideas and inspiration from our Burlingame teachers and staff!

   
   

Read-a-thon Week (Jan 26th - Jan 30th)

1. Read, Read, Read: Students are encouraged to read all week long. Let them get lost in a book and find their love of reading. This can look like reading a book, looking at picture books, reading online or with a Kindle, being read to, listening to an audiobook, etc. All forms of media count! All students and their families are encouraged to join in on the reading fun!

2. Fundraise: Engage parents, family and friends to show their support for your student by making a donation in their name. Help your child solicit donations which can be made directly to the BCE Read-a-thon Website and/or your student can create their own personal fundraising page to share with their friends and family.

3. Track your Reading Daily: Students should track their days and minutes read at home and submit them online once the Read-a-thon is over. Download our at home minute tracker to use if helpful!

4. Attend Events: In person and zoom events are scheduled to celebrate reading! Some are district wide and some are school specific. We hope you will join us! Event Schedule below.

5. Follow BCE on Instagram: We'll be sharing reading ideas and inspiration from our Burlingame teachers and staff.

Post Read-a-thon Week (Jan 31st -Feb 6th)

1. Submit your Reading Minutes Online: Be sure to submit your days and minutes read online to be counted for prizes. All minutes must be entered by Monday, Feb 2nd @9pm to be considered for final prizes.

2. Final Fundraising: Encourage final donations to help your student maximize raffle and prize entries. All donations received by Monday, Feb 2nd @9pm count towards prizes.

3. Prize Winners Announced: Prize and Raffle Winners will be announced by Thursday, Feb 5th.

   
   

Special thanks to our long-time Read-a-thon Title Sponsor

Make a Donation

Parents, friends, family and community members are encouraged to support the BCE Read-a-thon with a sponsoring donation. Donations can be made on the main BCE Read-a-thon page by clicking the Make a Donation button. Or by donating directly on a student fundraiser's personal fundraising page. While making your donation you will be asked to provide your student reader's name so your sponsoring donation can be attributed to your student and help them earn prizes and raffle entries.

All donations are tax deductible.

Be sure to submit your Read-a-thon donation for a match if your employer offers matching.

If you would like to donate via a DAF, please contact info@bcefoundation.org and we can assist you in making sure your reader receives credit.

If you would like to make a physical cash donation and/or bring in a check, please bring it to your School's front desk. Be sure to include your contact information and note the student you would like to credit.

Fundraising

The Read-a-thon is BCE's district-wide fundraiser that encourages students to read and fundraise. Students are encouraged to ask parents, family and friends to support them with a sponsoring donation while they read. Students are eligible for prizes and drawing entries based on their fundraising. Read-a-thon Fundraising runs through Feb 2nd at 9pm PST. All donations received by that time will be used to determine prize winners.  

Every student is encouraged to solicit at least one donation with a goal of fundraising $150 or more for their school. Raffle entries and prizes determined based on fundraising amounts as well as reading participation. See below for more details on prizes and raffles.

Students can fundraise by:

1. Creating and sharing a personal fundraising page.

2. Sharing the BCE Read-a-thon Webpage.

3. Sharing their School Read-a-thon Website BIS  Franklin  Hoover  Lincoln  McKinley  Roosevelt  Washington.

4. Collecting physical donations and bringing them to their school secretary's office.

To Create a Personal Fundraising Page:

1. Click on your School Name: BIS  Franklin  Hoover  Lincoln  McKinley  Roosevelt  Washington

2. Provide your student’s name and an email address (Do not use your child's BSD email)

3. Personalize your student’s page and share with family and friends

Note: You will receive a confirmation email with your personalized fundraising page URL and a link to edit your page. (You will want to save this email should you need to edit your page in the future.)

Step-by-step instructions on how to create, edit and share your personal fundraising page can be found here. And example fundraising emails and texts can be found here.

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Minute Tracking​

Students will track their minutes read at home during the Read-a-thon week. At the end of the Read-a-thon week, all minutes should be logged online so your child is eligible for prizes. Students can print out our Read-a-thon Reading Minute Log to use during the week if helpful. (English & Spanish versions)

Be sure to enter total minutes read online by 9pm PST on Monday, February 2nd to be eligible for prizes.

Note: In past years, students/parents were asked to log minutes online nightly. This year parents only need to log minutes one time at the conclusion of the week. This change was made based on parents' feedback. We hope it makes it easier to enjoy the Read-a-thon week.

Prizes & Raffles

Students are eligible for prizes and raffles based on their Read-a-thon reading and fundraising! Please review prizes and raffles below! Any questions, contact info@bcefoundation.org.

Elementary School Raffles & Prizes

School-wide

• Early Fundraiser Raffle: $50 Gigglemugs gift card

  • Students will earn 1 entry for every $50 in donations they receive by EOD Sun Jan 25th.

  • One lucky winner per elementary school

  • Winner will be announced by Tuesday, Jan 27th.

  
  

• Read Week Fundraiser Raffle: $50 Top Golf gift card

  • Students will earn 1 entry for every $50 in donations they receive by EOD Wed Jan 28th.

  • One lucky winner per elementary school

  • Winners will be announced on Thursday, Jan 29th

    
    

• Grand Prize Raffle: One lucky winner per elementary school will get to select one of the

  following grand prizes (1) Beats Wireless headphones, (2) Topgolf Gift Certificate, (3) GiggleMugs Gift Certificate (4) Summit Bicycles Gift Certificate

  • Entries awarded based on donations received by Monday, February 2nd @9pm PST.

    • $150+ of donations: 1 entries

    • $300+ of donations: 3 entries

    • $500+ of donations: 6 entries

    • $750+ of donations: 10 entries 

    • Bonus entry will be given if a student read all 5 days and has raised at least $150!

      
      

• Top Class Participation Award: The class with the highest percent of students both reading and fundraising will win extra recess!

  
  

• Top Class Teacher Participation Award: The teacher of the class at each school with the highest participation will receive a $100 gift card.

  
  

• Top Fundraiser Award: The person in each school who fundraises the most dollars will receive a prize. 

  
  

• Most Unique Donors Award: The person in each school who has the most unique donors will receive a prize.

Grade Level

• 5-day Reader Raffle: One lucky 5-day reader per grade (who has at least one donation) will win a TBD

• Top $ Fundraiser per grade will win a Maverick Jack's Milkshake Gift Certificate! 

• Fundraiser with the Most Unique Donors in each grade will win a prize.

BIS Level Prizes

School-wide

• Early Fundraiser Raffle: $50 Gigglemugs gift card

  • Students will earn 1 entry for every $50 in donations they receive by EOD Sun Jan 25th.

  • One lucky winner per grade at BIS

  • Winner will be announced by Tuesday, Jan 27th.

  
  

• Read Week Fundraiser Raffle: $50 Top Golf gift card

  • Students will earn 1 entry for every $50 in donations they receive by EOD Wed Jan 28th.

  • One lucky winner per grade at BIS

  • Winners will be announced on Thursday, Jan 29th.

  
  

• Grand Prize Raffle: One lucky winner per grade at BIS will get to select one of the following grand prizes (1) Beats Wireless headphones, (2) Topgolf Gift Certificate, (3) GiggleMugs Gift Certificate (4) Summit Bicycles Gift Certificate

  • Entries awarded based on donations received by Monday, February 2nd @9pm PST.  

    • $150+ of donations: 1 entries

    • $300+ of donations: 3 entries

    • $500+ of donations: 6 entries

    • $750+ of donations: 10 entries 

    • Bonus entry will be given if a student read all 5 days and has raised at least $150!

    
    

• Top Homeroom Participation Award: The homeroom in each grade with the highest percent of students both reading and fundraising will win a breakfast!

  
  

• Top Homeroom Teacher Participation Award: The teacher of the homeroom in each grade with the highest participation will receive a $100 gift card.

  
  

• Top 5 Fundraisers per Grade Awards: The five students per grade with the highest

  $ fundraising will win a Lilikoi on Broadway Gift Certificate! 

  
  

• Most Unique Donors Award: The person in each grade who has the most unique donors will receive a Maverick Jack's Gift Certificate!

  
  

• 5 Day Reader Raffle. One lucky 5 day reader (who has at least one donation) will be selected to win a Gift Certificate to GiggleMugs.

District Level Awards

• The Golden Book Award will be given to the School with the highest participation rate of students who Read and Fundraise during the Read-a-thon.

  
  

• The Top Fundraising School Award will be given to the School that raises the most funds for their district during the 2026 Read-a-thon.

All prize winners will be decided by Thursday, February 6th 2026. All minutes and donations received by 9pm PST on Monday, February 2nd will be used for prize and drawing criteria. If you are donating outside of the Read-a-thon website, please contact info@bcefoundation.org to be included in the prize and drawing criteria.

THANKS TO OUR READ-A-THON PRIZE SPONSORS

​Events

Hope to see you at these fun events during Read-a-thon Week!

• Sun, Jan 25th, 1-3pm: Read-a-thon Kick-off event at the Burlingame Public Library. Pick up a free book to get you started! Volunteers will be available to help with setting up a fundraising page and answering questions. Be sure to check out the Library's children's book sale and check out books while you are there! Everyone is welcome to attend, no need to sign up!

• Mon, Jan 26th - Thur, Jan 29th, 3-7pm: Burgers & Books at Maverick Jack's - Bring a book and share that you're a part of the Read-a-thon and receive 10% off your order!

  • Mon, Jan 26th: Washington & Hoover

  • Tue, Jan 27th: Lincoln & McKinley

  • Wed, Jan 28th: BIS

  • Thur, Jan 29th: Roosevelt & Franklin

    
    

• TENTATIVE Tue, Jan 27th, 7:10-7:40pm: Zoom Bedtime Story (Note: Zoom will open at 7:05)

  
  

• Tue, Jan 27th - Sun, Feb 1st: BCE Boba week at Lilikoi @ Broadway. Mention BCE and/or Read-a-thon when you place your order and 10% of all purchases will be donated back to BCE. You can also note it in "special instructions" when placing your order.

  

• TENTATIVE Wed, Jan 28th, 7:10-7:40pm: Zoom Bedtime Story (Note: Zoom will open at 7:05)

  
  

• TENTATIVE: Thur, Jan 29th 6:15-8pm: Reading + Hot Chocolate Event at Grupology. Join us for a night of reading at Grupology! Grab your favorite book and drop by for a night of sustained silent reading and hot chocolate. Parents are welcome to drop off their students. This event is for BSD Students in 1st - 5th grade. Sign up required. (Only 50 students can attend so if your plans change, please remove your name from registration.)

FAQs

What is the BCE Read-a-thon?

The BCE Read-a-thon is similar in concept to a Walk-a-thon, but instead of exercising their bodies, our students will be exercising their brains by reading and tracking how many minutes they read. This fundraiser involves no selling of products, only asking for sponsoring donations from friends and family. The number of days and minutes each student reads and the amount of sponsoring donations a student receives will go towards the chance to win prizes!

Why a Read-a-thon?

The Read-a-thon is BCE’s annual friends and family fundraiser. All students and families are invited and encouraged to participate in reading and soliciting donations to support their Burlingame schools.  Donations collected from the Read-a-thon contribute to the grant BCE makes to the Burlingame School District annually to fund teacher salaries and create a rich and inspiring education for our children beyond what is possible with public funds. All Read-a-thon donations are tax deductible.

How does the Read-a-thon work?

Students fundraise before, during and after our week of reading. They can collect donations on a personal fundraising page (that you help them create) or use their school fundraising page or the general BCE fundraising page. Students call, send emails and texts to family and friends to collect donations. Then, starting Monday, January 26 through Friday, January 30, students read, read, read!! Students track their days and minutes read at home and then enter their reading online at the end of the week. All minutes and sponsorship donations must be recorded by Monday, February 2nd at 9pm to be eligible for the grand prize drawing. Before, during and after the week of reading there are raffles and activities supporting the Read-a-thon. 

How do you track minutes?

Parents and students track daily reading minutes at home. At the end of the week, all minutes need to be recorded online so the student is eligible for prizes. Elementary School Minute Tracker ; BIS Minute Tracker

What counts as reading?

Most anything! They can read books, e-books, poetry, comics, magazines, and even audiobooks – anything goes! Being read to or looking at books counts too!  It’s all about reading for fun, building a love of reading, and supporting Burlingame schools. Parents may read to children too!

Are there prizes? 

Yes. Read Prize & Raffle details above.

Is a Read-a-thon donation different from my annual BCE donation?

The Read-a-thon is a way to encourage grandparents, neighbors, and extended family to make donations for students’ reading efforts. Many friends and family find this to be the perfect way to support a child’s academic success and show they care about your child’s school. Parents/guardians are asked to make the suggested donation of $2000 per child (or as much as they can afford) during the school year ending June 30, 2026. BSD Parent Read-a-thon donations will be counted towards their annual BCE contribution. Read-a-thon donations are tax deductible.

How much does the BCE Read-a-thon raise for our schools?

Last year, Burlingame School District students raised over $200,000 to support our schools. Those donations fund music teachers, PE teachers, world language teachers, reading specialists, BIS musical and play. For more information about how Burlingame Community Education Foundation funds are spent visit bcefoundation.org. 

For more information, visit bcefoundation.org/read-a-thon or reach out to info@bcefoundation.org.