Summerfest 2009

Welcome to Letter P.A.L.S. Summerfest 2009!

What:	Summerfest 2009 – The first-of-its-kind online interactive summer reading event featuring the Pet Shop Pen Pals, a very special group of pets who love to write letters to students and tell them about all of their adventures.
Why:	Help prevent summer reading loss/setback
When:	June 22 to August 2. Sign up begins on May 1
Who:	Elementary school children
Where:	www.letterpals.org
Cost:	FREE

Starting on June 22, a new online letter will be made available every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week through August 2.
Each daily Pet Shop Pen Pals letter is personalized with the student’s name, is three pages in length, professionally written, beautifully illustrated, and reviewed by reading specialists for age appropriateness.
Each letter will also include a "Paws for Reading" page that follows the third page of the letter and includes specific questions and answers for each letter.
Once the student has read the daily letter, answered the questions to make sure that he/she understood the letter, he/she then clicks on the Readers Are Winners button, which will electronically place a red paw print on his/her classroom chart signaling that he/she read the daily letter.
As a reward for reading a letter and answering the questions, he/she will earn 8 points.

To enhance the reading experience and promote the practice of vocabulary and spelling, there are 8 highlighted key words in red within each letter. These key words will be used in a daily crossword puzzle and word search format.
Students are to complete the daily crossword puzzle and word search sections containing the 8 key words. Students can earn 8 additional points for each crossword puzzle and word search completed.
Students can earn a total of 24 points for each letter. 8 points for reading the letter, 8 points for the daily crossword puzzle, and 8 points for the word search.

Any student who reads all 24 letters, answers all of the questions, clicks on the Readers Are Winners button, and completes the daily crossword puzzle and word search will have earned 576 points. That is the Pet Shop Pen Pals lucky number. Any student who earns all 576 points will be able to print off special coupons for cool superdupper prizes.

Every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week, there will be 10 random student readers chosen from all of the students who read that day's letter. The chosen students will receive a $5.00 gift card to a national bookstore. Gift cards will be sent to the students' school in September.

During the Summerfest 2009, there will be several contests for each of the students to participate in, such as the Lots of Letters, Lots of Fun Writing Contest and the "Say Cheese" Cool Pets Contest. All contest winners will receive cool prizes and get their artwork, writings, etc. displayed for everyone to see and read. Prior to the start of any contest held during Summerfest 2009, additional information will be provided concerning the specific details.