NIE sponsors promote literacy and learning

Newspapers In Education is among the most promising programs around. The NIE program in this area works thanks to corporate sponsors who supply copies of the Southeast Missourian to students in classrooms. Teachers use the newspapers as learning tools. And when they're finished, students take the papers home.

Newspapers are provided for the program by the Southeast Missourian at half the single-copy price, says circulation director Mark Kneer, who adds that 2,629 papers were supplied to more than 70 teachers in 38 different schools each week last year. Kneer says there were an additional 17 teachers asking for papers, but sponsors couldn't be found.

"NIE is such a worthwhile program," says Janice Friedrich, a teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau. "We actually teach using the newspaper. Textbooks are very important, but they aren't as up to date as newspapers. There are so many things you can do with a newspaper."

Friedrich is spending her second summer in a row seeking sponsors for the program. Sponsorships are $275 and are a tax-deductible contribution to the YELL Foundation, which stands for Youth, Education, Learning and Literacy.

We hope additional sponsors will be found for the NIE program. It helps give a big boost to learning and literacy for students in our schools.

With school set to start soon, anyone interested in being an NIE sponsor may contact Friedrich at 335-3518.