Park Hill Elementary School will hold two assemblies on Friday Nov. 8 to announce the success of its Read to Feed Project for Heifer International. At 1:35 p.m., Early Childhood Education, Kindergarten, and grades 1 and 2 will meet in the schools auditorium for the first assembly. Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 will meet at 2:15 p.m.

Park Hill students have been reading books to raise money for Heifer International, a non-profit organization that “works to end world hunger and save the earth through the gift of farm animals and training,” according to Heifer International.

The students read hundreds of books for the project, while family members and friends contributed money to the Heifer Project for each book that the students read. “One student, who was sponsored by her grandmother in Germany, read to her grandmother over the phone,” Assistant Principal Anna Wadsworth said.

With the funds raised, students will “purchase” an animal through Heifer International for needy families throughout the world. The animal gift is a renewable source of food and resources, intended to lift impoverished families out of poverty and achieve self-reliance, according to Heifer International.

So far students have raised over $3,300 for the project, which is enough money to buy at least two Milk Menagerie gifts, Wadsworth said. Each Milk Menagerie gift includes a water buffalo, cow and two goats. Park Hill set their goal for $1,000.

The staff will read a short passage from the book Beatrice’s Goat by Eileen Dolbeare at each assembly. “The book recounts the story of a young girl in Uganda whose family is desperately poor until they receive a goat from Heifer Project,” Wadsworth said. “Milk from the goat enables Beatrice and her family to buy badly needed medicine, clothing and supplies.”

In addition to the reading, students will watch a clip from the Oprah Show, in which Beatrice appears as a young woman and tells her story. Then Park Hill Elementary School will present a check to Heifer International.

After the assemblies, the students will vote on which animals they would like to buy with the additional funds they raised.

For more information, contact Park Hill Elementary School at 5050 East 19th Ave., 303-322-1811.