CAPE VISIT BY MISS MISSOURI

Miss Missouri will be in Cape Girardeau speaking to students about the importance of reading.

Erin Phillips, 1995 Miss Missouri, will speak at an assembly for Cape Central Junior High students on Monday, March 18 at 9 a.m. The assembly will be held in the Central High School Auditorium.

Phillips' platform issue is "Reading for Success."

Gerald Richards, principal of Central Junior High, hopes Phillips' visit will promote a variety of messages. "She will discuss positive messages about staying in school and getting an education," he said. "She will also talk about saying no to temptations that keep students from fulfilling education as a goal."

Richards said Phillips will spend time with the students in the reading program after the assembly. She will also visit with students during their lunch hour.

Phillips is from Mexico, Mo. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia and is working toward a master's degree in reading. Phillips' career ambition is to work with at-risk students with an emphasis on reading instruction. She is currently a part-time dance instructor.