Rock 'n Read Marathon a Success

The Rock 'n Read Marathon earlier this month found such success, organizer and Meadowdale High School librarian Rita Ireland is already planning on a repeat event for next year.

The marathon took place over 55 hours from March 4 through March 6. More than 100 students from Meadowdale and Edmonds-Woodway High Schools took on half hour shifts at the Edmonds Bookshop. During that time, they read a book while sitting in a rocking chair in the Bookshop window.

Teens filled all of the half hour slots and many reported that the time went by too fast, Ireland said.

The students raised $282 by asking people to donate "A Buck for a Book," which will be used for new books that will be passed out at Christmas. In addition, the teens collected eight boxes of used books to donate to the Food Bank. 

Ireland said that another shop owner in downtown Edmonds has already invited the group to use his window for reading and rocking next year.

Ireland also relayed this anecdote, courtesy of Edmonds School District Field Technician Jim Raymond. While visiting Beverly Elementary on a rainy day, Raymond saw two girls reading outside under the shelter of the eaves of the library. Raymond asked the girls, "Why are you reading now?" One said, "We want to be ready to read in the window like the big kids!"

"Now, that's a ripple effect of teens influencing younger ones in a positive way!" Ireland said.