Prepare for some great deals and get your bidding finger on the trigger. The Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls Press' 15th annual Newspapers in Education Silent Auction opens today.

"There's something for everybody," said circulation sales manager Darci Austin. "Strike Zone has great offers for kids' birthday parties. There’s multiple restaurants that we have gift certificates for, photography studios offering their services. There’s a little bit of everything."

The Newspapers in Education Silent Auction features dozens of gift certificates, party packages and much more that bidders can win for way below retail price. One sweet offering is a two-night stay and $100 dining credit at The Coeur d'Alene Resort — that's normally $500.

"It’s a great way to get some Christmas shopping done," Austin said. "It’s something fun that gets our subscribers involved. We have many subscribers who look forward to it every year that can’t wait."

While the auction provides a fun way to knock some gifts off shopping lists — a complete list appears on pages C6 and C7 — it's also for a great cause. Newspapers in Education provides Press newspapers at no cost to teachers in 57 Kootenai County schools.

"The teachers use those newspapers in the classroom for lesson plans — history, geography, civics, language,” said Press circulation manager Bill Huffhine. "So far in 2016, we’ve delivered 156,600 newspapers to local classrooms. That is $117,000 worth of newspapers."

According to Vicki Whiting, president and founder of weekly youth activity page Kid Scoop, "Newspapers are the best vehicles for confronting the literacy crisis in the United States, where fully 66 percent of fourth-grade children are not reading at their grade level."

"When newspapers are introduced into the classroom, reading scores go up 10 percent — and rise 30 percent among at-risk kids," Whiting said.

The NIE Program is funded by generous subscribers who donate money and newspapers throughout the year, as well as by funds raised during the auction. Last year, the auction raised $4,324.

The Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls Press' 15th annual Newspapers in Education Silent Auction is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. today through Friday and 8-11 a.m. Saturday. The bids are updated daily and those interested are encouraged to get a copy of The Press each day as circulation representatives cannot disclose current bids.

Winners will be contacted. The deadline to pick up prizes is 5 p.m. Dec. 16 in the circulation department.

To place a bid, contact NIE coordinator Angela Abbott at 664-0220.