Editorial: Helping kids learn
Dec. 14, 2006

Many, many efforts have attempted to improve West Virginia's economy - with partial success. But a surefire way to promote prosperity is to raise the education level of young people. Better-trained folks earn more money. Higher degrees bring higher incomes. And the presence of an educated work force generally draws higher-grade businesses.

A volunteer organization pursuing this goal is the Education Alliance of West Virginia, a partnership between businesses and school systems. Last month, the Alliance won the top award of the national Public Education Network as "the nation's most outstanding local education fund."

An announcement said the Alliance has given more than 4,000 grants to West Virginia schools and teachers - totaling more than $1 million for projects to boost the quality of learning. About 2,300 West Virginia businesses have formed partnerships with schools, sending volunteer employees into classrooms to coach youngsters about career pathways and perform personal tutoring.

Each fall, thousands of Alliance volunteers join "Read to Me! Day." This year, they read to 38,000 pupils in 150 schools.

The Alliance provides "book trunks" - cases containing about 70 books each that are lent to grade and middle schools.

To whet science and engineering interest, the Alliance sponsors a pumpkin drop - a challenge for brainy youths to create padded containers in which pumpkins can survive a three-story fall at the state Capitol. This year, students from 18 schools dropped 87 pumpkins, and 22 remained unbroken. The contest was great fun.

Year after year, the Alliance keeps adding ventures to help public school children increase learning skills and boost their chances for good careers. We can't imagine a more worthy cause. West Virginia should be grateful for all the business volunteers who donate their time and company money to the Education Alliance.