THIS IS A WISN 12 EDITORIAL WITH PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER JAN WADE IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE, AN OVERWHELMING. 26.4% OF CHILDREN LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. SADLY, THEY’RE LIKELY TO STAY THERE. IF THEY CAN’T BREAK THAT CYCLE. BUT POVERTY GOES DOWN WHEN EDUCATION GOES UP. AND THAT’S HOW MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAN HELP EDUCATE IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE GREAT EQUALIZER. IT CAN OPEN THE DOOR TO JOBS, RESOURCES AND SKILLS THAT HELP A PERSON NOT ONLY SURVIVE, BUT ALSO THRIVE. LAST YEAR, MPS SERVED MORE THAN 68,000 STUDENTS, BUT A LARGE MAJORITY, MORE THAN 75%, ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED. HUNDREDS MORE LIVE HOMELESS. WE NEED TO HELP THEM BREAK THAT CYCLE. FOR THE PAST DECADE, WISN 12 HAS PARTNERED WITH THE SALVATION ARMY, AND YOU ARE GENEROUS VIEWERS FOR THE CLASS ACT SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE TOGETHER, WE’VE RAISED MORE THAN $510,000 AND FILLED OVER 31,000 BACKPACKS WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR AREA STUDENTS IN NEED. MANY CAN’T AFFORD THE BASIC TOOLS LIKE PENCILS, NOTEBOOKS, RULERS OR CRAYONS. ALL ARE NECESSITIES THAT GIVE THEM CONFIDENCE TO GO TO SCHOOL, READY TO LEARN ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 15TH, WE’LL KICK OFF THE 10TH ANNUAL CLASS ACT SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE. $25 BUYS A BACKPACK FULL OF SUPPLIES FOR A STUDENT WHILE $500 BUYS BACKPACKS FOR THE ENTIRE CLASS. EITHER CALL OUR PHONE BANK TO MAKE A DONATION. AUGUST 15TH OR GO TO WIC TO LEARN MORE. AND AS YOU DO REMEMBER, THE INSPIRE WORDS OF NELSON MANDELA. EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON WHICH YOU CAN USE TO CHANGE THE WORLD. PLEASE GIVE AND HELP OUR KIDS BE THAT CHANGE. I’M JA