Great News From "Under the Sea"
Posted on 05/17/2022
Scholastic cutbacks meant no big theme, marketing materials, or contest for the Spring Book Fair this year, but that didn't stop us! GalwayPTSA put the theme out to vote, and students selected "Under the Sea." From there, the PTSA designed a logo and went crazy with pool noodle coral reefs.
This was the most financially successful Spring Fair ever and the second best Fair overall! Pre-tax sales were over $9,000 (that's a lot for a small, rural district).
The PTSA held three competitions in advance of the Fair:
• Coloring for PreK-1 – the entries are part of the display near the cafeteria
• Egg Decorating (virtual) for everyone
• Book Reviews for grades 1-6 (on display at the Galway Public Library)
All participants received prizes. The winners received special prize bundles that included Book Fair gift certificates, art materials, stuffed animals, and much more. Prizes were made possible by a grant from the Price Chopper Golub Foundation.
The PTSA partnered with the Galway Library, which held a Scavenger Hunt and gave gift certificates to the Book Fair as prizes. They also held a Family Night on the opening night of the Book Fair during which families enjoyed crafts, games, and raffles. The prizes were a huge orca and a sea turtle.
Every PreK-6 student was given a ticket for the chance to win one of eight raffle baskets during the Fair. One winning homeroom per grade won a bag of books. Four homerooms won $25 to spend at the Fair by playing Book Fair Bingo.
PTSA purchased over $4,400 worth of books for students in PreK-7. Every student got to pick his/her own book valued up to $8. The PTSA donated all the money raised in the lollipop-pull (1,934 lollipops sold for a total of $966.98) to the school library, along with an additional $1,000 for the librarian to shop online with Scholastic. The Book Fair also donated the prizes for the district's Science Fair.
"We had 24 volunteers who helped make this possible. Special thanks to our VP Barb Mead, who made the majority of the decorations. She also took time off work to fill all the holes in our volunteer schedule," said Galway PTSA President Mrs. Emma Obern. "Thank you to everyone who supported the Fair. We're very grateful to have the support of our community."
