Reading for a cause Andrew Caldwell, a student at the United Methodist Preschool Playschool in Flora is helping his class meet its goal to read 100 books as part of the Scholastic Book Club’s Classroom Care program. Photo provided The United Methodist Preschool Playschool students in Flora are joining Super Bowl MVPs Peyton and Eli Manning and Scholastic Book Clubs to help donate one million books to disadvantage children.

This fall, students in Miss Deb’s class have pledged to read 100 books as part of Scholastic Book Club’s Classroom Care program. The philanthropy-based literacy campaign is designed to teach children about the joys and importance of reading and giving.

“Kids have big hearts and nowhere is it more evident than when children help children through the Classroom Care program” said Judy Newman, president, Scholastic Book Clubs.

“Classes around the country are reading 100 books each. When they reach that goal, the Mannings, Scholastic, and our charity partners will put one million books into the hands of the neediest children. The students from Playschool get to see firsthand that their efforts can make the world a better place, “ Newman explained.

To participate, classrooms join either “Team Payton” or “Team Eli” and keep track of their progress using an oversize Classroom Cares poster. A companion Web site lets classes share and compare their achievement with other participating classrooms around the nation. The Web site also provides activities, motivational videos featuring the Mannings, e-cards, a sweepstakes, and details on Classroom Care’s charity partners.

“I love to read and I think Scholastic Book Clubs’ Classroom Cares lets teachers and children demonstrate the spirit of service and sharing while instilling a passion for reading,” Deb Foreman, teacher and director of the United Methodist Church Playschool, said. “We are on the ‘Payton Team,’ which was hard to choose because I cheer for and like both teams when they play.”