MOSES LAKE — If helping to raise money to keep Columbia Basin students engaged in their community and show significantly greater interest in their local government or current affairs isn't enough, there is the chance to win airfare, two nights at the Pebble Beach Lodge and three rounds of golf at Pebble Beach, Spyglass and Spanish Bay at the 10th Annual Newspapers in Education Golf Tournament on June 21 at the Moses Lake Golf Club.

Last year, the event brought out the very best in community support, raising close to $16,000 for the NIE program, which is aimed at keeping students engaged in their local, state and national news while promoting the importance of newspapers and social media sites.

The Columbia Basin Herald is promoting the importance of print newspapers with the national program. This year, the 18-team (72 players) field will help fund the NIE program for the 2018-19 school year.

The mission is to help with the educational process in a world filled with technological gadgets and a growing list of information sources. Students who use the newspaper in school show significantly more interest in local government, neighborhood events and current issues in foreign affairs. Studies also show that children who frequently read newspapers are more likely to be reading other sources of information.

In a three-year study, NIE student groups showed significantly superior gains in spelling and vocabulary in their classrooms.

“I'm a huge advocate of reading and have a history of working with the Adult Literacy League as well as serving as a reading mentor in the Orange County Public School system for a number of years,” Columbia Basin Media Group publisher Caralyn Bess said. “I also published a children's educational and literacy resource newspaper for the Central Florida School systems for a number of years. Reading matters and newspapers matter!”

The prizes for this event are through the roof, and one of the most spectacular is a golfer's dream vacation. Long Drive competitor Troy Teal will set the stage for a chance to win a three-day trip to Pebble Beach. Teams will make a qualifying donation and Teal, who is capable of driving a golf ball 486 yards, will drive the ball on a par-5. If the team can hole out from that drive location, the dream vacation worth $5,000, is in the bag.

Some of the other prizes in the non-profit 501(c) event include: two football tickets to Washington State vs. San Jose State, two tickets to see University of Washington vs. Arizona State, Seattle Mariners autographed photos, two nights' stay at Don Laughlin's Riverside Hotel & Casino and a Golf Passport for nine courses throughout the Puget Sound, as well as others.

“According to an NAA study, schools with NIE programs performed an average of 10 percent better on standardized tests when they learned with a newspaper, and newspaper use in school increase students' awareness of the world and their communities and had a positive effect on attitudes toward school, community and subject matter,” Bess said. “By supporting Newspapers in Education (NIE), you allow us to provide our papers to teachers for classroom use and links real-world experience to the classroom encouraging critical thinking skills and lifelong reading habits.”

The $50 super ticket provides each team with five mulligans, 10 feet of string (typically used for putts) and eight tickets to enter a raffle for high-end prizes.

There are plenty of event sponsorship packages available including Event Sponsor ($2,500), Food and Beverage Sponsor ($1,500) and Hole Sponsor ($700).

As for the golf itself, the tournament is a scramble format and begins with a 10 a.m. shotgun start. They will award trophies for first, second and third-place teams in addition to a men's and women's longest drive, longest putt and closest to the pin awards. The awards and prizes are scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m.

For more information on how you can become a sponsor or register your team, contact NIE coordinators Sue Cant, Jamie Humphrey or Kathy Chavez at the Columbia Basin Herald at 509-765-4561.