NIE is part of a national literacy program conducted by local teachers that uses the Tribune as an innovative teaching tool in their classroom. In addition to improving reading skills and learning about local current events, students enhance their communication and thinking skills. Plus, every Monday we feature the award-winning "Kid Scoop" page in the newspaper - and USA Weekend teacher-supplements are periodically passed along to the subscribing classrooms.

Who gets the newspaper and what does it cost? Each year more than 4,000 students in over 120 classrooms in Jackson, Jennings, and Scott counties receive the newspaper at NO cost to the schools or the students. The cost to coordinate, print and distribute these newspapers exceeds $35,000 per school year and is funded by the Tribune and these local businesses that contribute strong financial support to the program:

• VALEO SYLVANIA
• BOWLING TRANSPORT INC.
• TOYOTA INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT
• SCHNECK MEDICAL CENTER
• AISIN DRIVETRAIN
• GREATER SEYMOUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
• JACKSON COUNTY REMC
• BOB POYNTER CHEVROLET
• CONNER SMITH EYE CENTER
• SEYMOUR PEDIATRICS
• USA WEEKEND
• SCHWARZ PHARMA

In addition, education-minded individuals like YOU can donate your home-delivered newspapers to the program while you're on vacation. Beginning in 2005, we published our annual school-year Pet Calendar / Baby Calendar as an N.I.E. fundraiser - and we certainly thank these generous pet lovers and baby lovers for their support of this worthwhile cause!

For classroom orders:
Nancy Combs (812) 523-7055
Nancy_Combs@link.freedom.com

To contribute:
Tom Kesterson (812) 523-7058
Tom_Kesterson@link.freedom.com