Dozens of children and their families sat down and read a good book on Monday evening during the annual Iditaread kick-off readathon at the SHS library.

Hundreds of free books were available for kids so they could take place in the annual reading competition. Elementary students match pages read in books to the miles in the Iditarod sled dog race, said Connie Moos, the elementary school library. Students earn one mile for 10 pages in a picture book, or five miles for every 10 pages read in a chapter book. A parent’s signature for a reading slip doubles the mileage.

Students both attending the elementary school, along with homeschool students, have been placed in mixed-grade groups for the contest. The winning team who earns the greatest amount of miles gets a free book for each team member during the school’s annual book fair on Wednesday, March 12.

In addition to the parents and their children, high school students from Trisha Esmailka’s reading achievement class read books to elementary kids.

The high school students were Brody Ulroan, 16, from Chevak; Brian Olin-Duncan, 15, from Galena; Regina Harry, 16, from Alakanuk; Nina Myers, 15, from Pilot Station; and Jon Susook, 15, from Galena.

More than two dozen pizzas for the event were donated by Rand Rosecrans and the students in GILA’s culinary arts program. Other food and desserts were donated by the Galena Education Association.