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Show Escalante Students Ready Balloon Race ESCALANTE "Countdown to the Great Balloon Race begins at 2:30 p.m. March 21, 1988," said Mandy White-Saras, principal of Escalante Elementary School. Students Stu-dents at the school launched 135 helium-filled balloons as part of the nationwide "Writing Pals Balloon Contest" sponsored by Weekly Reader, the classroom newspaper. "A message attached to each balloon bal-loon explains the project and asks that the finder return it to Escalante Elementary School, said Principal Saras. "Weekly Reader will present a $500 prize to the school that gets back the message that has traveled the farthest distance. In addition, 100 runner-up prizes will be awarded," award-ed," added Saras. Since the annual balloon launch began, Weekly Reader has furnished nearly 5 million free balloons to schools participating in the Weekly Reader Writing Pals program, a pen pal program in which Weekly Reader pairs classes across the country. According to Principal Saras, the balloon launch was the climax of Escalante Elementary School's yearlong year-long participation in Weekly Reader Writing Pals. The goals of the program pro-gram is to motivate children to write to and to become familiar with students in other parts of the country. "Escalante Elementary School pupils will write to every person who sends back a message card from our balloons," declares Saras. |