10,000 Reasons to Give
Third grade students at Bow Lake Elementary were smiling Monday afternoon (Dec. 10) after receiving free dictionaries from the Burien Elks #2143.
The Dictionary Project was founded in South Carolina by Mary French in 1995, and has since put more than 18 million in the hands of students nationwide. Its primary focus is to promote literacy to children in the third grade as they transition from learning how to read to identify and use information. Since joining this movement, the Elks nationally have donated more than 1.2 million dictionaries.
This year, the Burien Elks Lodge #2143 are donating over 1,000 dictionaries within the Highline School District as part of the Elks’ nationwide Dictionary Project. The Burien Elks joined as sponsors in the 2010-11 school year with servicing at least 11 elementary schools yearly, in South King County; at Bow Lake they distributed their 10,000th Student Dictionary!
“I think this is an awesome opportunity for the kids to get dictionaries and have more autonomy to look up words and learn information from these awesome dictionaries that the Burien Elks Club is giving us, so thank you very much,” Alicia Elms, 3rd Grade Teacher said.
“I am really appreciative that the Burien Elks Lodge has been donating dictionaries to us for years,” Douglas Neufeld, Principal of Bow Lake Elementary added. “The teachers love it and the kids get really excited and are happy to have the dictionary to look through and use in their writing and reading. We are pleased that we are a part of the 10,000th dictionary celebration. ”
“Special thanks to Don Bock who started the Burien Elks on this journey nine years ago,” said Jon Hale, Dictionary Project Chairman, “and to committee members, Kay Ronde, Ronda Sundlie and Jean Susnar, for traveling to the many and all lodge members who have supported us throughout the years.”
It was an ordinary Monday for the 3rd grade students at Bow Lake Elementary school. It was an extraordinary day for the Burien Elks. Handing out 10,000 dictionaries feels great. Congratulations to Precious who received the 10,000th Dictionary.
Photos courtesy Burien Elks #2143]]>
