The Advocate invites you to join in a community-service project guaranteed to improve the quality of education in our community while strengthening your company’s public image.  The name of this special program is Business Partnership for Children.

    Business Partnership for Children works like this: Businesses make contributions to an educational fund.  The fund is used to provide newspapers to area classrooms.  Teachers receive newspapers by submitting grant applications.  The business may select the school and/or the teacher.  In return for its contribution, each business is given newspaper promotional advertising matched to the amount of the contribution.

    Why put newspapers in classrooms?  Research indicates that when newspapers are a part of regular classroom instruction, students’ civic awareness is increased and their reading and writing skills are improved.   According to the 2002 report by the University of Minnesota, “Students in schools with NIE programs performed 10-30 percent better on standardized reading and math tests than students in schools with no NIE programs.”  The 2002 report by Southern Illinois University and Memphis State University states:  “Newspapers in Education (NIE) improves education and develops desirable citizenship values among youngsters….  More recently, a year-long project on the effects of newspaper instruction on teenagers likely to become school dropouts resulted in improved reading and writing by these students.”  Finally, the University of Georgia adds, “In grades five and seven, gains in general reading ability appeared to have more than tripled those which might have been anticipated with regular non-newspaper instruction.  In grades four and six, the gains about doubled.”  The research is quite conclusive: Newspapers greatly enhance regular classroom instruction.

    How does the community benefit?  In order for a community to be progressive, it must first have an educated, informed and involved citizenry.  It’s evident that today’s youngsters need our help if they are to become enterprising adults.
   
    What part does the Advocate play?   Contributions to the Partnership fund are matched by The Advocate and used to provide newspapers to area classrooms. Teachers are also provided with a full range of support services through The Advocate’s Educational Services Department.  This includes teaching materials, workshops, and classroom presentations.





For Businesses:
Sponsorship Levels
Sponsorship Order Form
BPFC Information

For Teachers:
Coupon Request for Sponsors