AUTO MALL GIVES $50,000 TO HELP SCHOOL KIDS READ.

Byline: - Cecilia Chan

The Thousand Oaks Auto Mall presented a $50,000 check Tuesday to six needy schools in the Conejo Valley Unified School District, bringing its total contribution this year to $200,000.

The campuses are Title I schools, meaning that more than half of the student population is at or below the poverty level and a large number are foreign-language students.

``We wanted to do something worthwhile in the community and decided to look around at the schools,'' mall spokeswoman Sara West Callahan said. The donations ``even the playing field for these kids, gives them the educational opportunity they deserve.''

Since 1999, the auto mall has given $411,425 to local schools, including a recent donation to benefit Walnut, Conejo, Parks Oaks, Manzanita, Glenwood and Acacia elementary schools.

The mall originally donated $100,000 but doubled the amount last year after dealers visited several of the schools and were impressed with how the money was spent. The extra funding purchased computers and established homework clubs and arts, drama and music programs.

``The auto mall's main interest was in literacy so a lot of (the funding) is being used to buy extra books so kids could take books home to read at their grade level,'' Callahan said.