By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

PELHAM—Three Valley Elementary School classes cashed in on their reading skills, winning a set of books for their classrooms as part of the Bank on Books program sponsored by the Pelham Public Library.

Mrs. Morton’s kindergarten class, Ms. Haines’s first grade class, and Mrs. Kellogg’s second grade class were presented with the Bank on Books grand prize on March 11 for winning the challenge. The three classrooms read a combined total of 476 books during the three-week challenge.

The Bank on Books program encouraged Valley Elementary School students to read as many extra-curricular books as possible between Feb. 17 and March 7, and the classroom in each grade with the most books read would be awarded a set of age-appropriate, financially-themed books.

Mrs. Morton’s class topped the kindergarten group, reading a total of 66 books, Ms. Haines’s first grade class won the Bank on Books challenge for a third year in a row, reading 222 books, and Mrs. Kellogg’s class was awarded the second grade grand prize reading 188 books.

Bank on Books is part of Pelham Public Library’s financial literacy initiative funded by the recently awarded Smart investing@your library® grant. This was the third edition of the program designed to “promote reading in conjunction with financial literacy,” explained Pelham Public Library Director Barbara Roberts.

In addition to winning a grand prize for their classroom, children were offered additional small incentives to read. Students earned “book bucks” for each book checked out of the Pelham Public Library, which they could in turn save up and redeem for prizes at the library. This aimed to teach children about earning, saving and using money.

“You’re never too young to learn about good financial practices and saving money,” said Pelham Public Library Children’s Librarian, Mary Campbell.

Valley Elementary School students and teachers enjoyed the challenge, and Pelham Public Library has plans to repeat the Bank on Books program next year.