LETTERS: ST. MARY USES YELL FUNDS FOR BOOKS

To the editor:

Thank you very much to the YELL Foundation for its generous donation for our literacy program.

Teachers and students alike at St. Mary Cathedral School are very excited about our reading program. Last year, the students read over 10,000 books during the nine months of school. This year is the same, with students reading over 1,000 books a month. The students are enthusiastic about reading, and their interest is evident as they are seen carrying and reading books on their way to lunch and outside at recess. St. Mary students are progressing so well in reading that the majority have increased an entire reading grade level in just one semester.

The YELL Foundation's donation of $300 to St. Mary Cathedral School was used to purchase new library books to help keep up with the increased demand for reading materials. It enabled us to purchase a variety of books for different reading and interest levels and to increase the types of books available, both fiction and non-fiction.

Thank you again to the YELL Foundation for its generosity and continued support of our school and community.

CAROL STRATTMAN, Principal

St. Mary Cathedral School

Cape Girardeau