Throughout October, more than 700 students at Ross A. Lurgio Middle School will be reading 26 minutes a day and exercising 26 minutes a day. This comes as part of the fundraiser called “Exercise the Right to Read.”

The program was started by author Wendelin Van Draanen.

After years of visits to schools across the nation, she observed libraries were purchasing fewer and fewer books. She also noticed students were becoming less physically fit.

Van Draanen added a third part to the campaign in which students will ask for donations to benefit their own school library as they keep track of their reading and exercising.

Ninety percent of the money raised will go directly to the Ross A. Lurgio Library and 10 percent of the money raised will go to “First Book,” a national nonprofit that gives children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new book.

In addition to that, Van Draanen’s publisher Random House will donate one book to “First Book” for every dollar raised in the program.

Kate Schoedinger, reading specialist at Lurgio Middle School, brought the program to the school after learning about it during Van Draanen’s visit to McKelvie Middle School last October to meet the 1,000 students who read her novel “Flipped.”

“In essence, the students will read a marathon and exercise a marathon,” said Schoedinger.

According to Schoedinger some schools have even “adopted” other schools, like those affected by Hurricane Katrina, who may be more in need of books.

“It is such a great program that has kids working toward fitness, charity and literacy,” she said.

Schoedinger said she doesn’t know how much money the students have raised yet since they won’t have a total until the end of October. She is, however, encouraged with how things have been going.

The program also has support from faculty members throughout the school.

“With this program there is a real push for wellness and literacy. This is one program that just made a lot of sense,” said Lurgio Principal Ed Joyce.

Librarian Mary Pat Snow and physical education teachers Mark Elmendorf and Lynne Moriarty are also on board with the program.

“What great habits to develop at such an early age,” said Moriarty, “It really is a win-win situation.”

Max Wyman, an eighth-grader taking part in program, thinks highly of what Van Draanen is doing across the country.

“It is amazing how this author put all of this together. She didn’t have to and chose to do it,” he said.

To celebrate the month-long efforts of students across the nation, Van Draanen will run the New York City Marathon on Nov. 4. Schoedinger and her family will travel to New York City to cheer Van Draanen on during the 26-mile race.

“Getting to know Wendelin over the past year has shown me that she really has motivated the nation to exercise the right to read, and for that I will support her as well,” she said.

To donate to “Exercise the Right to Read,” send donations to Ross A. Lurgio Middle School, 47 Nashua Road, bedford, NH 03110. For more information on the program, visit www.exercisetherighttoread.org.