LETTERS: MORE ABOUT YELL GRANTS...

To the editor:

Thanks to the YELL Foundation for awarding the Cape Girardeau Public Library a $1,400 grant to support our year-round literacy efforts. The award will allow us to continue to offer book giveaways as reading incentives to youths in grades 5 and up.

As I write this letter, we are in the midst of our 2nd Annual Winter Reading Club with a record 277 children participating. Children of all ages are "Discovering the Reading Rainforest" that is available to them at the library. The prize at the end of the reading trail is a book that each child may select from a collection of quality books purchased, in part, from the YELL Foundation's generosity.

In addition, more books will be purchased to give away at other library programs throughout the year, especially the Summer Reading Club at which we traditionally have over 580 children, fifth grad and older, participate.

Those of us who know firsthand not only the power of books, but also of book ownership, recognize what a wonderful community service the YELL Foundation is performing through its grant program. A book is a gift you give again and again.

BETTY MARTIN, Director

Cape Girardeau Public Library

Cape Girardeau

... This year I was on the receiving end of a YELL Foundation grant. YELL benefits so many worthwhile literacy efforts in our area. Most of the children in our community have probably been touched in one way or another by the benefits of a YELL grant.

The money I received for use at Clippard School is intended to help provide early literacy intervention programs for students in first and second grade who are having difficulty learning to read. By the end of the year, and estimated 30 children will have become competent readers.

LINDA ROBERT, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader

Cape Girardeau School District

Cape Girardeau

... I would like to take this opportunity to thank the YELL Foundation for its grant. I am going to purchase a set of alphabet books to use with my youngest readers and writers. There is no greater joy in my job than to see a student with a book in his hand that he is able to read. My hope is that my students enjoy reading as much as I do. A student needs to be supplied with books written on his level that are interesting to him. My Reading Recovery students take home a new book every night. Unfortunately, in this process some books are lost. I will use the remainder of the money from the grant to purchase new books and replace those that have been lost.

CYNTHIA HALTER, Reading Recovery Teacher

Jefferson School

Cape Girardeau