Growing Together: More Students, More Donors, More Community Support for Read-a-thon
- Feb 5
- 6 min read
Across all grade levels, participation grew as students, families, and supporters came together to make this year’s Read-a-thon our most inclusive yet!
This year’s GROW with BCE Read-a-thon was defined by one powerful theme: more. More students stepping up to fundraise, more donors supporting our schools, and more families and community members engaging in a shared celebration of reading.
By the end of the Read-a-thon, 1,085 students had created fundraising pages, 2,144 donors had contributed, and our community raised $218,358 in support of BCE’s annual grant to the Burlingame School District. From first-time donors to longtime supporters, and from TK readers logging their very first minutes to eighth graders leading by example, the Read-a-thon showed how broad, collective involvement can make a meaningful impact for every school and every student.
A New Look for a Beloved Tradition
At its heart, the Read-a-thon is simple and inclusive. Kids across Burlingame read books they love, families rally around them by fundraising, and the dollars raised go directly to support BCE’s annual grant to the Burlingame School District. Read-a-thon is designed so every student can participate at their own level and feel proud of contributing to their school community, including young readers just discovering stories and BIS students balancing busy schedules.
Superintendent Marla Silversmith reflected on the annual Read-a-thon’s long-standing role for the district, “The Read-a-thon truly reflects the Burlingame School District’s values of inclusion and shared responsibility. It creates meaningful opportunities for every student, family, and community member to participate in supporting our schools, no matter how big or small their contribution. That collective effort builds pride, connection, and a deep sense of belonging across our district.”
The Read-a-thon look grew right along with the event this year. Moving away from the "Read. Fundraise. Repeat." cycle of 2025, the organizing committee chose a theme of "growth" for 2026. The new tree logo was designed to show exactly where contributions go and the programs they support, branching out from literacy into the music, wellness, and classroom programs that make Burlingame schools exceptional. Co-VP of Events Vidya Nathu said, “With this being the second largest event in BCE history, the Read-a-thon tree has never looked fuller. Thank you for helping us GROW!"
“Read-a-thon is really special because it’s the one time each year when our students get to take the lead in fundraising for their schools,” said BCE Executive Director Meredith Dunn. “They set goals, ask for support, and see firsthand how their efforts make a difference. At the same time, Read-a-thon brings in a wide range of community donors giving at all levels, which means more families, friends, and neighbors are part of supporting our schools. That combination of student leadership and broad community involvement is what makes this event such an important tradition.”
2026 Read-a-thon by the Numbers
💰Total funds raised: $218,358
📖 Number of readers: 1,423
👏🏽 Number of donors: 2,144
💪 Number of fundraisers: 1,085
📚 Total minutes read: 568,604
🏅Top Fundraising School: Lincoln with $36,075
🏆 School with the highest Reading & Fundraising Participation: Hoover with 46.2%
Thank You to Our Title Sponsor
BCE is deeply grateful to our Read-a-thon Title Sponsor, Corey, Luzaich, de Ghetaldi & Riddle LLP, for their generous support for the eighth consecutive year. As a Millbrae-based law firm with deep ties to the Burlingame community, their continued partnership helps ensure that every student, from TK through eighth grade, can participate in a fundraiser that celebrates reading while supporting the programs that enrich our schools.
“As a local firm, this community is our home,” said Amanda Riddle, Managing Partner at Corey, Luzaich, de Ghetaldi & Riddle LLP and a Lincoln and BIS parent. “The Read-a-thon is a meaningful way to support the schools our own children attend and the educators who make such a difference every day. We love seeing students across Burlingame take the lead in reading and fundraising, and knowing that our support helps strengthen programs that benefit every classroom makes this partnership especially rewarding.”
"We are deeply appreciative of Amanda Riddle and the team at Corey, Luzaich, de Ghetaldi & Riddle LLP. Eight years of partnership and going strong! Truly, we couldn't do it without their support. On behalf of the entire community, thank you so much!" -BCE President Jen Faber
A Week of Reading Events
Read-a-thon week came to life through a full calendar of community events that gave students and families many ways to celebrate reading together. The week kicked off at the Burlingame Public Library with a Pop-Up Children’s Book Sale and free book giveaway, setting the tone for a week centered on access, curiosity, and the joy of choosing a great read.
Throughout the week, local favorites joined in the fun, with Burgers & Books at Maverick Jack’s and Boba Week at Lilikoi offering special discounts and give-backs to BCE, making it easy for families to support schools while supporting local businesses.
Maverick Jack’s Owner Micheál Mallie was especially pleased to welcome the BCE community this year. “As ever, Burgers & Books was a great community event that saw so many local families coming out and supporting their schools and enjoying delicious burgers. Due to the traffic shut downs, it has been a stressful couple of weeks so we were over the moon to welcome BCE community!” he told us.
Evenings brought families together for special virtual and in-person experiences. On Monday, Lincoln Elementary TK teacher Alicia Stein hosted a bedtime Zoom reading of her book Winnie’s Way, sharing an inclusive story that resonated with readers of all ages. Wednesday’s Zoom event featured Martee Dares to Dance, with children hearing directly from the authors and learning the dance moves along with the story. Thursday offered two popular favorites, including a behind-the-scenes look at how books are made and the third annual Silent Reading and Hot Cocoa event at Grupology, where students cozied up with books and friends. Raffles held at the start, throughout, and at the close of the week added extra excitement and helped keep the momentum going from beginning to end.
“Read-a-thon is a fun competition and I got to practice my reading. I read more than my older brother! I also got to read with my school friends and my soccer friends at the hot chocolate night at Grupology! It was so fun!” -Elle, 2nd grader at Franklin Elementary
Prizes and Friendly Competition
A big part of the Read-a-thon’s energy comes from its prizes, designed to celebrate participation and effort at every level. Prizes and incentives were offered school-wide, by grade, and by classroom, recognizing enthusiastic readers and dedicated fundraisers. This year, 286 prizes were awarded in total. To encourage early momentum, the Read-a-thon once again featured an early-fundraiser raffle and a mid-week raffle, alongside the grand prize raffle, giving students plenty of reasons to jump in early and keep going.
Friendly competition added to the excitement, with all schools vying to be the top fundraiser and to earn the Golden Book Award, given to the school with the highest combination of fundraising and reading participation. For the second year in a row, Hoover took home the Golden Book Award, while Lincoln led all schools in total funds raised (after BIS topped the list last year). Participation data was updated daily (and sometimes twice a day) as students eagerly tracked their progress. New this year, Grupology donated a chess assembly for the elementary class with the highest participation, while at BIS, the much-anticipated homeroom breakfast party continued to motivate students to get involved.
Just as importantly, each school brought the Read-a-thon to life in its own way. Roosevelt refreshed its reading nook bulletin board, awarded Bear Paws for completing bingo, and even had the mascot join the fun. Hoover featured student announcements and creative displays inspired by favorite books. Lincoln hosted a book swap, celebrated milestones with cartwheels from Dr. Clem, and welcomed local author Poorvi Shrivastav for a behind-the-scenes look at publishing. McKinley leaned into school spirit with its mascot, book swaps, and Zoom bedtime stories, while Washington’s annual Recycled Book Fair was a highlight once again. Franklin students made videos and checked the leaderboard daily, and at BIS spirit days and lunchtime challenges kept the excitement going all week long. Together, these local touches made the Read-a-thon feel uniquely special at every school.
Click the links below to see all of the prize winners!
You Can Still Make a Donation!
Wanted to support Read-a-thon, but didn’t get a chance? You can still make a donation. 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.
“Read-a-thon helped me and my class read more and I finished my whole book. I look forward to it every year!” -Aidan, 4th grader at Franklin Elementary