WITH HELP FROM YELL, NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION EFFORT BEGINS

Chris Ludwig's fourth-graders at West Lane Elementary School were among more than a thousand school children receiving newspapers Monday, the start of the second year for the Southeast Missourian's Newspaper In Education program.

"They just love to have the papers," Ludwig said. "They love to read the comics, but outside of that there are a lot of different activities you can do with spelling and language arts. I'm able to use them every day."

Kim McDowell, coordinator of the Newspaper In Education (NIE) program, said kickoff of the program was delayed until after last week's YELL for Newspapers promotion.

Half the $13,000 raised by selling YELL newspapers goes to NIE. Also, advertisers and sponsors in the YELL section have provided funding for the NIE program.

"Today, 1,000 student subscriptions went out to area schools in Cape Girardeau and Jackson and other surrounding schools," McDowell said.

Every student subscription is supported 50 percent by the newspaper. With the proceeds from YELL, the other 50 percent is almost paid.

McDowell said: "Last year we supported the program and more than 90 percent of the cost. We knew we could not carry these costs into this year. This was the first year of YELL, and we didn't know what our results would be."

The success of the program has allowed the NIE program to begin.

The number of NIE papers is down from last year, when nearly 2,500 newspapers papers were distributed. McDowell said at least two reasons exist: this year, teachers were given an option of receiving papers daily or on specific days of the week; last year daily distribution was the only choice.

McDowell said many elementary level teachers have opted to receive only the Monday Missourian, which includes the Mini Page. Also, some teachers were apparently reluctant to ask for the newspapers because they felt they would have to pay, she said.

She expects the number to grow rapidly as the program begins again this year.

"We have worked with initial teacher requests to provide them with papers," McDowell said. "We do have more requests coming in from teachers who want to participate," she said. "We could still use sponsors."

McDowell said several teachers contacted her Monday. "They say the kids are excited to have their newspapers."

Jane Womack, contemporary issues teacher at Cape Girardeau Central High School, said: "It's our textbook. It's a very vital part of my class."

For the first 15 to 20 minutes of class, students read the newspaper. She said the class also has subscriptions to news magazines and cable television, but the newspaper "is really my lifeline."

The course requires that students are current on news stories; Womack quizzes them each week on news events.

"We follow news stories. Right now we are following Clarence Thomas."

Womack also encourages her students to read and interpret the editorial cartoons.

"They also like to look at the police report," she said. "And my students really enjoy (Mike) Royko."

Carla Tilley, fifth-grade teacher at May Greene Elementary, said the newspaper encourages students to read for enjoyment.

"As long as they're reading, I don't care what they read. Many students find reading the newspaper enjoyable," she said. "We make them read everything else, but, if they can find something they enjoy reading, that's even better."

Tilley said in class she uses the newspaper to help students spot adjectives and adverbs.

"We use them for national news and local news," she said. "Last year we tracked the way soldiers were going over to the Gulf War.

"But the children just enjoy reading them."

Tilley said for some readers the thought of tackling a book is intimidating.

"I think they are apprehensive when they see the word book; to read a book is not something that is going to be enjoyable. A newspaper article is different."