Manitowoc, WI (March 21, 2006) -- Scholastic is teaming up with Wisconsin First Lady Jessica Doyle and Heifer International to launch an educational program designed to motivate students to read books in order to feed hungry families.  Through the Wisconsin Read to Feed Challenge, Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, Mrs. Doyle, and Heifer International, a nonprofit organization that combats hunger and poverty around the world, are encouraging all of Wisconsin’s elementary schools to join Heifer’s Read to Feed® program. 
 
As participants, students in the Read to Feed Challenge collect pledges from sponsors for every book they read.  Heifer International uses the money raised to buy income and food producing animals for struggling families around the world.  Students are rewarded with copies of the beautifully illustrated children’s book, Together, donated by Scholastic, that they can add to their home libraries.
 
The program has five primary goals: 
- To promote literacy,
- To educate students and teachers about world hunger and poverty,
- To provide Wisconsin children with an opportunity to help others,
- To encourage teachers to focus on global issues and to use new, creative teaching methods,
- To earn books for elementary school students.
 
In addition to encouraging children to read, the Wisconsin Read to Feed Challenge is a unique way to combine global education with philanthropy and service learning.  Students earn pledges from family, friends and community members for each book they read.  In turn, the money is donated in support of Heifer International’s mission to end global hunger.  Included in the program is Read to Feed’s standards-based curriculum, which gives teachers an opportunity to introduce important global issues linked to hunger and poverty to students.
 
First Lady Jessica Doyle will promote the program throughout the school year at special events. “It is truly my privilege to work with Heifer International and Scholastic to not only help the children of Wisconsin become better readers, but to increase their understanding of the world around them while helping children in other countries.”
 
Scholastic has long supported children’s reading by providing books through literacy programs.  “Our goal is to ensure that each child participating in this program has an opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life,” says Karen Proctor, Vice President, Community Affairs and Government Relations, Scholastic.  “We are thrilled to work with Mrs. Doyle and Heifer International on the Wisconsin Read to Feed Challenge as we continue with our mission of fostering and improving literacy in all children.”
 
While kids might have difficulty in understanding what it means to write a check to charity, they can easily grasp the power of giving an animal – a goat, flock of chickens, cow, llama or honey bees – to poor families in 50 countries around the world.  “I believe that children are so enthusiastic about Read to Feed because it gives them a way to express their concern for others and for this world,” said Jo Luck, President and CEO of Heifer International.  “Children naturally want the best for others, but they just don’t always know how to make that happen. Read to Feed gives children the opportunity to make a positive impact on another’s life.”
 
About Heifer International
Founded in 1944, Heifer International is a humanitarian assistance organization that works to end world hunger and protect the earth. Through livestock donations, training, and "passing on the gift," Heifer has helped seven million families in more than 125 countries improve their quality of life and move toward greater self-reliance. Heifer helps build strong communities because each project participant agrees to pass on the gift of animal offspring, training or skills to another family in need.  Heifer International’s Read to Feed program has been implemented in hundreds of schools across the country and is expected to involve more than 5,000 classrooms nationwide in the coming school year.
 
About Scholastic
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology.  Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys.  The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company's Internet site, www.scholastic.com.
 
For more information about how a school can participate in the Wisconsin Read to Feed Challenge, call 1-877-275-READ or visit www.readtofeed.org/wisconsin.

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