LAKE COUNTY ? Rotary Club of Clearlake recently shared the gift of vocabulary with third grade students in the Konocti Unified School District. The club presented a total of 260 picture dictionaries throughout the district in the past week.
The annual dictionary giveaway is a Rotarian tradition. More than 1,000 dictionaries have been gifted to Konocti third graders in the past 10 years.
“Third grade is the optimal grade level for the dictionaries. This is the age where children are being to learn their vocabulary and the meaning of words,” program chairman Pastor Richard Bean said. “The kids in our community really need all the help they can get to learn about the outside world and expand their understanding of the world.”
Students were fascinated by all the color illustrations that accompany the age-appropriate definitions that fill the books. They especially enjoyed the pictures of the animals, sharks, reptiles and all the flags of foreign nations.
Mrs. Davis” class at Pomo jumped right into learning. The students were given a few minutes to explore their dictionaries and find an entry that they were particularly interested in. They were then given the opportunity to share their findings with the class.
“They looked up some wonderful, interesting things that I wouldn”t have thought of,” Mrs. Davis said. “These dictionaries are a wonderful way for them to explore.”
One student shared an interest in Mars and its composition. Another student shared a fascination for the Greek mythology creature, the centaur. All the students seemed enthralled with the vivid pictures of the various sharks, reptiles and dinosaurs.
Mrs. Anthony”s students learned a bit about leadership when they received their dictionaries. They discussed leadership in the community like that provided by the Rotary Club. They talked about leadership in the school and in the classroom. They also discussed world leadership and the new president of the United States.
“The Rotary Club wants to help you become the best you can be and reach your highest potential and this dictionary will help you with that,” Bean said. “Learning to read and understand our world will help you become a leader, too.”
When they were finished with their lesson, Mrs. Anthony”s students showed particular concern for caring for their new dictionaries. Some students tidied their desks to create a safe place for their books while others stacked them neatly on the classroom counter.
According to Bean, although the dictionary distribution program is widely supported by Rotary clubs across the nation, not all clubs participate. “It takes people within the individual clubs that have a desire to promote the program to make it happen locally,” he said.
“For me this the most rewarding project that we do all year. This project brings me more satisfaction knowing that this is going to make a difference in their lives and help open their minds. The kids just light up when they put their hands on their own dictionaries and began to explore all the interesting pictures, graphs and charts inside.”
Vanessa Hughes, a third grader at East Lake Elementary School, felt compelled to extend her gratitude to the club in writing. Her note was very well written and contained no spelling errors. “I wanted you to know about one of the students you gave the dictionary to. My mom said you are really great people who helped her go to college. She also says I have a big vocabulary for my age and maybe that”s why people sometimes forget I”m only 8. The dictionary is a perfect gift for me. I really like it and I really appreciate it. Thank you,” Vanessa wrote.
This year”s dictionary distribution program was carried out under the leadership of Pastor Richard Bean with the assistance of fellow Rotarians Nora Moore, Lt. Craig Clausen and Marvin Carpenter. Dennis Darling, owner of Foods, Etc. provided warehouse storage space for the 25 cases of dictionaries as well as hand-trucks for their delivery. Konocti schools community coordinator Harriet Rogers also contributed to the distribution.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
