Some La Vista fifth graders are bolstering their vocabulary while reaching out to feed the hungry. The chance to change the world has the kids excited.

Chris Shell says, "Instead of having someone die, you can help them stay alive."

And teacher Kristi Simodynes explains, "We are working on our vocabulary, to expand our vocabulary and feed hungry people around the world at the same time."

The kids at La Vista West Elementary spend time each day on the freerice.com Web site where they have to choose the correct meaning of new vocabulary words. The more they get correct, the more rice goes to feed the hungry.

Twenty grains of rice are donated for every word that the kids learn. So it takes 1,152 words to equal two cups. And that's enough to feed one person for one day.

Kristi says, "I think it's important to expand their vocabulary and to know that the world is a lot larger than this classroom. And that we have a lot to be thankful for. And that they are empowered that there's a lot that they can do to make their world a better place."

One place in the world that needs their help right now is the devastated country of Myanmar.

Kristi says, "This is happening today. And today they can earn rice that potentially would help the suffering people there."

Fifth grader Sara Montoya says, "We learned that there's been a thousand people dying in the cyclone that happened."

Her classmate, Elise Shropshire tells us, "It's nice to do things like this for other people and it's also fun."

All fifth graders at La Vista West are taking part in the program but anyone can get on the Web site and improve their vocabulary. Freerice.com donates the rice to the United Nations World Food Program.