Tejeda Middle School seventh-graders help fight world hunger through vocabulary challenges as part of the FreeRice.com campaign. Students take online vocabulary challenges where correct answers earn a donation of 20 grains of rice to the U.N. World Food Program.

Seventh-graders Ellen Pennington and Todd Kveton promoted this program to each of their classes. Together, they organized and publicized the information other Tejeda reading classes. Jackson Mankewitz, seventh-grader, created a PowerPoint presentation to broadcast at lunch, encouraging the entire campus to participate.

"I play because I get to help hungry kids and learn at the same time," Harmony Kreutziger, seventh-grader who is a frequent vocabulary challenge-taker.

To encourage their students, the seventh grade reading teachers recognize team winners monthly. It is their goal to have each student contribute one pound of rice. Two teachers keep the slogan "Feed your brain, Feed the world" on their bulletin boards.

"This is a great way to incorporate vocabulary development, while still contributing to a worthy cause," said Lauren Martinez, Tejeda student teacher.