Springdale Seventh-Graders Participate In 'Read to Feed' Program

SPRINGDALE -- Sonora Middle School seventh-graders are learning more than grammar and sentence structure in Kelsey Eursery's English class.

Eursery has involved the group with Heifer International's "Read to Feed" program to foster the students' love of reading as well as a sense of geography, philanthropy and sociology.

She's seeking help from the community.

The program is a partnership between a student and sponsor. The sponsor agrees to give 50 cents for each book the student reads over the course of the school year. The money the students earn from reading through their sponsors will be pooled at the end of the year and used to purchase an item from Heifer's catalog to give to disadvantaged families or communities somewhere in the world.

"In the catalog, they have animals, seeds, water pumps, education and training," Eursery said. "The students have done research projects to determine how things can help a community. What can a goat bring to a community? Breeding, the milk, self-sustainability."

Heifer International is a Little Rock-based nonprofit organization. Heifer works in 30 countries and in the United States, as well. They provide animals, supplies and clean water across the globe.

Between 2,500 and 3,000 schools participate in the Read to Feed program each year, said Allison Stephens, Heifer's public relations manager.

"It's always been an important program as a way to introduce Heifer International and philanthropy to students," Stephens said. "The idea is to connect students in the United States to issues and challenges around the world."

The Read to Feed program has ideas and plans for students and teachers to use. It can be as simple or complex as the users wish, and the curriculum varies depending on the age and grade level of the students who are participating.

Eursery said being involved in the program is about more than getting her students to read for reading's sake or to raise money for an ambiguous cause. She wants to instill meaning and a connection to the student's reading and real-world challenges faced in less fortunate communities.

"One eye-opener for the kids is they asked, 'Why can't they just get a job at Walmart like we can?'" Eursery said.

The American Psychological Association reports researchers once believed a sense of caring about others only came as people grew into adulthood. Now studies find children can show signs of empathy and concern from a very early age. They react with concern when they see unhappiness, wanting to help or fix the problem.

The association reported one study found teens involved in helping others felt very positive about their lives and had high hopes for their own futures.

At the end of the year, the Sonora students will take a field trip to Heifer to learn more about how their purchase can make positively impact lives.

For more information about sponsoring the program, contact Eursery at 479-750-8823 or email [email protected].