The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Every student who heard the question — “Who read the most?” — immediately pointed to Hannah Kline.

Hannah, a fourth-grader at Christian Heritage School, racked up 22 basketballs during the school’s month-long March Madness reading program, an effort to encourage reading with a fun competition and reward that coincided with the annual NCAA college basketball tournament. For every 40 minutes of reading time, a student earned one paper basketball hung on a classroom wall — Hannah’s effort equated to more than 14 hours of reading.

“She won by a lot,” teacher Lauri Bradt said with a smile Friday. Bradt has 13 students in her fourth- and fifth-grade classroom at Christian Heritage.

Hannah said one of her favorite books was about Geronimo Stilton, a fictional talking mouse who gets involved in all kinds of adventures in New Mouse City on Mouse Island.

“A bunch of things happen to him,” Hannah explained modestly.

Bradt related a story from Hannah’s mother, who said her daughter became so caught up in reading that she often would stay up late at night — too late — reading in bed with light from a headlamp.

The dedication paid off Friday, as Hannah and scores of other young Christian Heritage students filled the school’s gymnasium with yells, cheers and bouncing basketballs. For every two paper basketballs earned by reading, a student earned a shot at the basket with a real ball in Friday’s event. Successful attempts meant candy and other prizes.

“The biggest payoff for this, other than it being a lot of fun, is you see kids really take off with” reading, Principal Tim Calkins said.

Bradt agreed.

“It’s been a great incentive,” she said. “Kids that don’t normally enjoy reading really got involved.”

Students on Friday had no trouble rattling off recent reads. Fourth-grader Lilli Turton said she dove into a children’s version of “The Canterbury Tales,” a 14th-century collection of stories by Geoffrey Chaucer. Fifth-grader Paige Eivins explored “The Secret of the Indian” by Lynne Reid Banks.

Auction event Saturday

Friday’s festivities foreshadowed another big event for Christian Heritage School: the school’s annual auction fundraiser, which is Saturday evening at the Steamboat Grand Resort Hotel and this year celebrates the school’s 20th anniversary. The event offers hundreds of silent and live auction items including everything from local gift and restaurant certificates to a fly-fishing package, a trip to Orlando next year, and even a black Labrador puppy that was donated by Elk River Farm & Feed and comes with a veterinary certificate.

“We feel really excited about the items we have,” said Audrey Zwak, director of the Heritage Park Preschool.

The auction event is open to the entire public, not just members of the Christian Heritage community, and this year includes a performance by comedian Rich Praytor.

Calkins, director of development Cheryl Lanning and auction chairwoman Pam Peretz stressed the importance of the auction — the school’s primary annual fundraiser — to offsetting the school’s operating costs and keeping Christian Heritage affordable for families.

“If we had to charge what it costs to operate the school, it would price most people out,” Calkins said. The auction event

“makes up the difference that we don’t charge in tuition.”

­— To reach Mike Lawrence, call 871-4233

or e-mail mlawrence@steamboatpilot.com