LITERACY IS SOMETHING TO YELL ABOUT, TODAY AND EVERY DAY

On Tuesday, more than 200 volunteers will hawk special YELL editions of the Southeast Missourian to benefit youth, education, literacy, and learning programs in the region.

Last year, the effort raised more than $19,000. Organizers have set their sights high this year, hoping to generate more than $24,000 on Tuesday.

Helping local literacy programs is easier than you imagined: Just buy one of the 12,000 special YELL copies of Tuesday's Southeast Missourian, which will be sold at some 60 street corners in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City Tuesday morning.

You will probably recognize the sales force, which represents businesses and civic organizations that care about regional literacy efforts. They will be wearing the familiar YELL hats and aprons, a flashback to the days of newsboys hawking papers on the streets. The sales competition will be friendly but genuine.

They will hit the streets at 6:30 a.m. and hope to sell out by 10.

For the recommended $2 donation or more, you will receive a name-brand comic book and a chance at hundreds of instant prizes such as gift certificates and SEMO District Fair entertainment tickets. Each YELL paper also contains an entry blank for a chance at major prizes as well.

YELL proceeds are divided equally between the Southeast Missourian's Newspaper In Education program, which serves three counties, and special literacy grants awarded by the Area Wide United Way.

Each week, the NIE program brings the world to about 8,000 students in three counties. This year, more teachers and students requested newspapers than ever before. Kim McDowell, NIE coordinator for the Southeast Missourian, says the results of YELL will determine if all the requests can be met.

Teachers use newspapers in the classroom to teach reading, math, geography, language arts, social studies and current events. NIE is just beginning its fifth year through the Southeast Missourian.

The thank you letters from teachers and students have been gratifying. Through YELL, this program can satisfy even more youngsters with a hunger for learning.

The literacy grants administrated through the United Way touches many different kinds of youngsters.

It allowed Easter Seals to buy a new computer and start a resource center. The Otahki Girl Scout Council was able to purchase a series of books to encourage reading among Brownies and Daisy Scouts. The Gibson Center purchased books and materials to build literacy skills for adult males receiving drug and alcohol treatment. The Lutheran Family and Children Services bought books for single expectant mothers. The list goes on and on. So many people, so many lives are bettered through these literacy grants.

What makes these programs possible is you, and the thousands of other YELL benefactors. We are counting on you Tuesday to make this year's YELL a success. Your donation really will make a difference in the fight against illiteracy.