Rotary Ensures They're Never at a Loss for Words

Photo by John Armato

Franklin Elementary students, from left Moneyai Carter-Bates, Aileen Harrington and Jalaal Clait with their new dictionaries, courtesy of the Pottstown Rotary Club.

The Pottstown Rotary Club is doing its part to ensure that students are never at a loss for words to express themselves.

Recently the club provided over 300 dictionaries to all fourth grade elementary students in the

Lincoln Elementary students Konia Meade-Thompson, Devon Smith
Jace Kutsch, Lyndsay Knittle and Alex Pennypacker,

Pottstown School District. 

Marie Ann Thompson, Rotary member, said, “The Rotary Club recognizes the value of the skill of reading and understanding that it 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. We are proud to support the Pottstown School District and celebrate that over the course of years well over 2,400 Pottstown students have received their own Webster’s Dictionary for their home use.”

While at Franklin Elementary School prior to opening the dictionaries, students were quizzed about what is the first word to appear in the dictionary. 

The successful answer, of course, was “aardvark.” 

Franklin students Sadylyn Derstine, Robert Fitzpatrick

Principal Kevin Downes said "I am excited when I see young people enthusiastically embrace to learn and explore the world around them. This gift provides each one of our fourth grade students with their own home reference resource that will help them prepare to be successful in school and life."

Rotarian Deb Pennrod 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. 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.”

In rear, Rotarians from left, Rich Zimmerman, George Jackson,
Deb Penrod, Marie Ann Thompson, Jim Thompson with teacher
Nicole Leh, and Rupert students Erik Mather,
Caleb Williamson, Cadence Long, Tierra DeVeaux   

During the course of the day, the group of Rotarians including Thompson, Pennrod, Jim Thompson, Rich Zimmerman, and George Jackson visited each of the four elementary schools in the district.

John Armato, Director of Community Relations for the Pottstown School District said, “We are
thankful to the Pottstown Rotary Club for their many community service projects. Providing dictionaries to our students is just another example of Rotary’s commitment to improving our community and preparing young people to be successful adults. It makes me want to say – Proud to be from Pottstown.”