Last fall, 44 Kentucky newspapers published "Luke in a Really Big Pickle" and gave rave reviews to KPA's Kentucky Network for Newspaper in Education literacy project. Now, a second NIE project, "Noodles," is underway. Because your paper is a KPA member, there's no cost to publish this new chapter story for students in grades 2-6. It supplements your in-paper features and help students, families and teachers read together and help meet Kentucky's academic standards.

KNNIE is again paying the publication costs for any Kentucky paper that wants to publish the seven-week chapter story. All your paper has to do is donate the space.

The project will run Oct. 14 through Nov. 29. "Noodles" is a seven-week chapter story written by Kentucky authors Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones. Artwork is by Kentucky artist Chris Ware.

Newspapers can publish the first chapter any time during the week of Oct. 14 and follow with a new chapter each week. Chapters will run about 750-800 words.

A new aspect this year involves free NIE workshops in September to introduce the newspaper and show teachers and families how to use newspapers with the stories.

If you would like to set up a KPA-sponsored NIE workshop in your area, call KPA at (800) 264-5721.

Workshop participants will be given newspaper-based teaching materials to use in school. Sponsored by LG&E Energy Foundation, KPA will help set up the workshops and provide NIE presenters.

Talk to your principals and teachers to see if they are willing to participate. Let them know when "Noodles" will begin and how you will work with them. Papers can be donated by your newspaper or paid for with sponsor funding or paid for by the school. Papers can charge as little as 25 percent of their daily rate, i.e. 50 cents at the rack equals 12.5 cents NIE rate. The minimum delivery to a school at an NIE rate should be five papers.

Talk with local businesses ahead of time and give them the details for what they can do to sponsor one or more chapters. Sponsors can have their logo included at the end of the chapter.

Last fall, The Meade County Messenger in Brandenburg had a very positive experience getting businesses involved. Each week the paper published an NIE page and as a result, increased circulation by 500 copies per week. They also got 21 classroom sponsors. Not bad for a paper that had never had an NIE program ñ never.

The Leader-News in Central City was another success story. The weekly paper printed an additional 1,200 papers each week and gave them to schools.

There were contests for students. The paper got sponsors for each week's chapter. Revenue generated covered the cost of the space used. There were more than 500 entries in the student contests.

But that's not all. Thanks to LG&E Energy Foundation's support, any Kentucky paper that signs up this year before Sept. 15 will receive 1,000 free scrapbooks to use with schools and/or subscribers. Additional scrapbooks can be ordered ahead of time at a rate of $50 per 1,000, plus shipping.

Link your Web site or send readers to www.kypress.com, KPA's Web site, which will feature learning activities to go along with the "Noodle" story.

If you have questions, e-mail KNNIE chairperson Kriss Johnson at kjohnson@kypress.com.