Hawai'i high school athletics programs could raise additional money in a competition in which schools could gain a share of as much as $150,000.

The Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation and Save Our Sports, a campaign to raise money for public high school athletics programs, will challenge public and private high schools to earn extra money by selling copies of a book. They are offering two Papa John's pizza parties as an incentive.

The book, "A Prophecy Fulfilled: The Story of Clarence T.C. Ching," was not meant for wide distribution. But the foundation and the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association, which manages SOS, see it as a means for schools to earn money for sports and for people to learn about Ching, whose generosity helped start the SOS campaign to raise money for high school sports programs that have had their funding cut because of the state's struggling economy.

"We're committed to spreading the word about Clarence Ching because of his foundation and how he set up the foundation to be very generous in helping, especially schools," said Neal Takamori, McKinley High School athletic director.

The monthlong contest begins today and challenges 95 public and private high schools to sell the book, which retails at $14.95, for $10. The foundation is donating 15,000 books to the schools and the schools keep 100 percent of their sales proceeds.

"You can't get a fundraiser better than this one," said Keith Amemiya, executive director of the HHSAA and SOS.

The SOS has surpassed its goal and has raised $1.35 million, including $200,000 from the foundation to start the campaign in July.

"Now on the tail end of the campaign they're helping us yet again by giving schools an opportunity to raise more money for their athletic programs and give people a chance to learn about (the late) Clarence Ching," Amemiya said.

Amemiya said that while the fundraiser is primarily for athletic programs, it would be possible for other school programs to use the funds as well.

The book, written by Lance Tominaga, details the life of an impoverished, sickly boy from Kaua'i who achieved academic and athletic success at Saint Louis School and went on to a successful career as a developer, Realtor, banker, affordable housing pioneer and philanthropist.

The foundation got most of its money from the sale of the Kukui Gardens apartment complex, which Ching developed, said Steve Gilley, president of the foundation. In the two years since the $130 million sale was completed, the foundation has distributed about $32 million — about $23 million of which went to educational institutions.

The Clarence T.C. Ching foundation commissioned the book for limited distribution to grantees and public libraries, Gilley said. The success of the SOS campaign impressed the foundation, he said.

"After we saw the way the community responded to his request we thought it would be good to continue our help so we placed an additional order for 15,000 books that we're giving to the high schools to sell for their athletic programs," Gilley said.