Indiana FFA is taking on the Read to Feed program in partnership with Heifer International. The Indiana effort will assist Heifer International’s mission in 3rd world countries, and it is a project of the state officer team, according to FFA state secretary Annalee Witte.
“In its simplest form it’s a read-a-thon for elementary students,” she explained. “They read pages, minutes or chapters, and in this case we’re raising money through minutes read and for each minute they read they have a sponsor who pledges money. Whether it’s a dollar per minute or 5 cents per minute they raise money through reading which goes towards purchasing gifts of livestock and training. At the Indiana FFA Association we are adapting this program to have FFA members in their very own chapters partner with those elementary schools to be Read to Feed leaders, to work one on one with the students to fight illiteracy and poverty and hunger right in our own communities and overseas.”
FFA advisors across the state have all the program details in hand now, and work is beginning to pair chapters with schools prior to the reading competition held from February 22nd through April 15th.
Witte tells HAT the state officer team will be fully promoting the program, all the way to helping read with the students upon request.
“The state officers are available to help our executive committee who is helping us run this program by giving them ideas about things they might do with the elementary students in the classrooms and also coming in upon request to read with the students and have a party with the students to get them excited about reading and for helping people overseas and helping them become better global citizens.”
Indiana Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann will also be part of Read to Feed.
“We are very excited to bring in the Department of Education and the Lt. Governor on this project. She will hopefully be reading with students during National FFA Week.”
Awards for Read to Feed will be presented during the state FFA convention in June 2016.