IT'S TIME TO Y.E.L.L. FOR CHILDREN'S LITERACY

Reading is more than fundamental it's an absolute necessity in today's fast-paced world. That's why it's essential we fight even yell for increased reading development.

That's the notion behind Y.E.L.L. for Newspapers. More than 100 "newsboys" will hit the streets between 6 and 10 Wednesday morning, hawking prize-filled copies of the Southeast Missourian and Cashbook Journal. Proceeds from this first-time event will be divided between Newspaper in Education and Area Wide United Way literacy programs.

Y.E.L.L. stands for youth, education, literacy and learning, and that's the objectives of Newspaper In Education. Last year's program touched the lives of more than 2,500 area students. The response from teachers was far greater than ever expected. Newspapers were delivered five days a week to 200 teachers at public schools in Cape Girardeau, Benton, Meadow Heights, Delta, Advance, Perryville, Oak Ridge, and Jackson as well as the following parochial schools: St. Mary's, St. Vincent's, Notre Dame, Trinity Lutheran, and St. Paul Lutheran.

Teachers used the newspapers to teach lessons in geography, vocabulary, history, spelling, math, current events, social studies and, of course, reading. This year's program will gear up soon. The extent of the program may well depend on the success of the Y.E.L.L. campaign.

The goal is to develop life-time reading habits. We're doing our part to ensure that reading doesn't fall by the wayside in today's television-oriented society. Through Y.E.L.L., others can help too. Without proper reading skills, life may seem like a closed book.

Newspaper in Education represents a partnership between business and education. Y.E.L.L. opens the door even wider. We need help not only from businesses, but from individuals as well. We can all do our part to help our young learn the value of reading. Strong community support is essential to help our schools ensure quality education.

The United Way's portion of Y.E.L.L. for Newspapers will be set aside for special youth-oriented grants. The United Way funds will be spent both on new and existing programs that help our kids.

So what can individuals do to support reading in our community? First of all, we can be good role models for children by reading ourselves.

Secondly, we can support programs like Newspaper in Education, Y.E.L.L. for Newspapers, and United Way literacy programs, which provide greater access of timely reading materials for our young.

No matter our education levels, illiteracy should concern us all. It affects our schools, our work force and our nation's ability to compete internationally. Granted, it's a big hurdle that won't be solved overnight. But by taking small steps, such as supporting Wednesday's Y.E.L.L. for Newspapers, we can make a difference. One day, we'll read all about it.