Look it Up

Photos Courtesy of John Armato

Rupert Elementary School fourth grader Gabe Hicks with his new dictionary, courtesy of
the Pottstown Rotary Club.

BLOGGER'S NOTE: The following was provided by the Pottstown School District.

Recently, the Pottstown Rotary Club provided over 300 dictionaries for all fourth grade elementary students in the Pottstown School District. 

Marie Ann Thompson, Rotary member, said, “The Rotary Club recognizes the value of the skill of reading and understanding that is the starting point for all economic and social opportunities the world has to offer." 

"The club’s dictionary project has seen over 8 million children receive dictionaries for their classroom and home use worldwide," Thompson said. "We are proud to support the Pottstown School District and celebrate that over the course of years over 2,000 Pottstown students have received their own Webster’s Dictionary.”

During the distribution at Rupert Elementary School, Principal Matt Moyer quizzed students on the various ways that dictionaries are valuable. 

Pottstown Rotarians Charlie Koening and Eric Mitchell, rear from left,

visited all four elementary schools including Rupert. Shown with their

new dictionaries are, from left, Stephanie Taylor, Cyan Dicarcello, 

Gabe Hicks and Elijah Palmore,

“I was overjoyed to see that the students came up with so many positive ways that the dictionary will assist them in becoming better students,” Moyer said.

He was quick to point out to the students that the all-purpose dictionary, unlike many of the modern conveniences of today’s society, requires no power source or batteries, and can be used at any time and in any place.

Rotarian Eric Mitchell assisted in the distribution and said, “The Webster’s Dictionary for Students – Third Edition is a quality addition to the student’s home library of tools to assist them in developing their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills." 

Further, he said, "the publication provides not only access to 37,000 definitions but also six special sections which include: world maps, countries of the world, states of the United States, Declaration of Independence, important events in American history, and a list of the presidents of the United States."

During the course of the day, the group of Rotarians including Thompson, Mitchell, Charlie Koening, Jim Thompson, and Rich Shumaker visited each of the four elementary schools in the district.