Today our Elementary students arrived in comfortable clothes with extra books, snacks, sleeping bags, blankets and pillows in hand. The children read in class for the entire school day. Our annual Read-a-Thon brings students together to encourage reading and to build literacy skills. Each year the students raise funds for a charity of their choice. In recent years the students have supported Soldiers Overseas (SOS) and Tsunami Relief in Japan. This year the children will donate half of the raised funds Community Food Share of Boulder County. The children will allocate the other half of the funds for classroom pet food and trips. Student fund raising at Mountain Shadows offers a philanthropic experience and opportunity for the children to be responsible for earning some funds for classroom related activities.