Warner Robbins 2021-22
Dictionary Project
2022 was the 23rd year the Warner Robins Rotary Club purchased and delivered dictionaries for all third grade students in Houston County Public School system and four private schools. We coordinated with each school system to determine the number of dictionaries to order, and once they were ordered and received, we prepared them to be distributed to the schools. Presentation to the students was limited to the private schools only since we could not interface with the public schools due to COVID protocols still in place.
Clearly, 2352 students benefited from our project! Our objective has always been to encourage literacy, curiosity, and the joy of learning. As a result of feedback from teachers and administrators, we know that our dictionaries are often the first books students can call their own, so by encouraging and making literacy our goal, our dictionaries build pride and self-esteem.
Seven Rotarians participated in the project. Our Rotarians coordinated with the schools to determine the number of dictionaries needed, plus, our treasurer did the financial planning and execution. Additionally, Stan Blaxton, a Rotarian and the executive director for the Happy Hour Service Center, coordinated shipment and the placement of a label in each dictionary, which states, “Knowledge is the Key to Your Future, Compliments of Warner Robins Rotary Club.” Due to limited presentation opportunities, only Lee Minor and Roland Berry were able to present the dictionaries to students at private schools.
Warner Robbins 2020-21
WARNER ROBINS ROTARY CLUB
Dictionary Project
The Warner Robins Rotary Club purchased and delivered 2,928 dictionaries for 3rd grade students in the Houston County School System and four private schools. We ensured the dictionaries had labels that read “Knowledge is the Key to Your Future, Compliments of the Warner Robins Rotary Club.” They were delivered to five school systems, but due to the pandemic our Rotarians disappointedly could make the actual presentations as in past years. Actual distribution and presentation were completed by school administration. 2928 students benefitted from our project when they received their dictionaries. Our primary objective is to encourage literacy, curiosity, and the joy of learning in Houston County. Regardless of the economic situation, each of the third graders will have the basic element that can open up the world of words and ideas for the very first time, never to be closed again. Since education is one very important key to improving the well-being of all individuals, we hope our dictionaries will be the catalyst to start and encourage the children in our community. In many cases, our dictionaries are the first books they can call their own, so by encouraging and making literacy our goal, dictionaries are also building pride and self-esteem within each student.
Michael McNeal was our point of contact who coordinated with the school systems to determine the quantity, and then ordered them through the Dictionary Project. He then made arrangements with Rotarian Stan Blaxton, the Executive Director of Happy Hour Service Center for Exceptional Citizens, to insert the label, “Knowledge is the Key to Your Future, Compliments of the Warner Robins Rotary Club” in each dictionary. Stan then ensured the proper quantities were picked up for the five school systems. Please note, typically we have several Rotarians involved by presenting the dictionaries to each student, but the pandemic prevented that from occurring this year. Happy Hour Service Center for Exceptional Citizens received the dictionaries, and then inserted the aforementioned label.