Newspaper, education go hand in hand

It’s an obvious combination, and it only makes sense when you think about it.

Newspapers and education are pretty much partners in the community. The goal of the newspaper is to inform and educate its readers about what happens in the community, and we strive to do that each week as we produce The Springfield Sun for our readers.

In addition to the adults who buy the paper, we have another group of readers, and we have been working for some time to educate them for when they become adults. Those readers are the students of Washington County schools, and they see the paper each week as it is delivered to their classrooms as part of the Newspapers in Education program.

Many newspapers take part in NIE, and The Sun is no different. Teachers contact us and request the paper for their classes, and we gladly deliver it. But in the end, it’s not just us, but the many sponsors who help make the NIE program possible.

When newspapers are delivered to students, teachers use them in various ways to educate the young readers. Whether it’s finding connections of the local news to everyday life as a citizen of Washington County, or simply pointing out ways to use the newspaper in life situations such as job or home searches, NIE is a valuable tool for the teachers and students who take part.

This year, we continue to operate the NIE program with the support of the Washington County Board of Education, which very generously supports NIE. The board members understand the need for this program, and they offer their support and allow us to continue to serve these students each week, and we appreciate their partnership.

As requests continue to come in, we continue to look for more sponsors. Many local businesses take part and sponsor NIE, but you don’t have to be a large business, or a business at all, to help with this effort.

We are seeking new partners, and would like you to consider joining us. For just $10 per student per year, for one or 100 students, you can help put The Springfield Sun in the hands of a local young person who might otherwise not become an informed citizen and learn to follow the activity of local government and other important community groups that affect their lives each day. We strive to inform all of our readers, from the oldest right down to the youngest, and we hope you will help us with this effort by supporting our Newspapers in Education program.