Witherspoon lends hand to New Orleans kids

NEW ORLEANS - Reese Witherspoon is taking time out of her busy Hollywood career to spend time with the at-risk youth of New Orleans.

As part of the upcoming "Idol Gives Back" special, Witherspoon visited the kids at a Children's Defense Fund Freedom School, which helps to foster community leadership skills for children of the hurricane-ravaged city.

The actress helped the kids with their assignments, read a story to the class and posed for photographs with the kids.

The Oscar-winning actress will join Bono, Brad Pitt, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Eli and Peyton Manning, Fergie, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Annie Lennox, John Legend, Snoop Dogg, Maroon 5, Heart and Gloria Estefan on April 9 to help raise money for the hit FOX reality show's charity.

This year, monies raised will go to the Children’s Defense Fund, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Make It Right, Malaria No More, Save the Children and the Children's Health Fund.

Last year's "Idol Gives Back" raised more than $76 million for charity.

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