CAPE YELL GRANTS

There's a whole lot of reading going on in Cape Girardeau, thanks to YELL literacy grants awarded to schools, libraries and community agencies.

The YELL project raised $14,000 in Cape Girardeau, half of which went to the Southeast Missourian for its Newspapers in Education program, and the other half of which was disbursed in grants to help schools and other groups encourage young people to read.

The Success in Reading program at Clippard Elementary School received $700 for the purchase of books for first-graders.

"It's to give children some experience in reading, because first-graders love to have books that they can read at their own grade level and that's difficult, because there aren't many words in their vocabulary," said Carol Reimann, program coordinator.

First-graders take a book home and read it to their parents, take another book home and read it, and so on until they read 20 books.

Every 20 books, students earn a certificate of recognition and a special prize.

"It's a competition, but the children are really competing against themselves, not against each other," Reimann said.

The Cape Girardeau Public Library received $2,200 for its summer reading program.

Betty Martin, library director, said more than 1,200 youngsters participated this summer in the Eager Listener, Summer Reading Club and RIF programs.

For every five books participants read, they get to pick out a book to keep for their own, Martin said.

"That's what the YELL grant paid for. For some children, this is the only way they can get their own personal libraries, and for children who love to read, it's great," she said.

Participants also receive food coupons and other prizes along the way, Martin said.

The Otahki Girl Scout Council received $500, which went to purchase sports magazines and books on fitness and nutrition for girls participating in the council's basketball interest group.

Millie Turner is membership director for the council.

"That's our approach to it, is using literacy as a part of the extension of sports to the whole girl, not just the athlete," Turner said.

The Alternative Education Center in Cape Girardeau received $430, which went to purchase dictionaries for students in the program.

"We're grant-funded and we don't always have the funds to cover the extras like that," said Sheldon Tyler, director of the program.

Other YELL grant recipients were:

-- Alma Schrader novels for fifth-graders program, $350;

-- St. Mary Cathedral School accelerated computer-based programs, $350;

-- Adult Basic Education computer, $500;

-- L.J. Schultz School reading fair, $500;

-- Franklin Elementary School learning center supplies, $700;

-- Edward M. Spicer Tutorial Program, $70.