Soup can labels, cereal box tops earning big money for schools

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Soup can labels and the tops of cereal boxes are being turned into big money for schools in Oklahoma.<br/><br/>One northeastern Oklahoma school district has earned five free vans

Tuesday, September 14th 2004, 5:32 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Soup can labels and the tops of cereal boxes are being turned into big money for schools in Oklahoma.

One northeastern Oklahoma school district has earned five free vans and thousands of dollars to help with its operating budget.

A General Mills Incorporated spokesman says the company gives schools ten cents for every box top they redeem from participating products.

For Cookson Hills Christian School in Kansas, Oklahoma, those flaps of cardboard have resulted in more than 24-thousand dollars for its budget since 1999.

The soup labels are exchanged for classroom materials -- and even school vans -- through Campbell Soup Company.

Each school can earn up to $20,000 each year through the program.

General Mills' spokesman Alex Parker said more than 1,500 Oklahoma schools have earned almost one million dollars in the last five years.