Optimists give dictionaries to third graders this week

 To help celebrate American Education Week, members of the Wisconsin Rapids Area Optimists are visiting elementary schools this week to present dictionaries to all area third graders with the objective of assisting them in becoming good writers, active readers and creative thinkers.
The books include a guide for confused, misused or misspelled words; frequently misspelled words; 10 general spelling rules; and 10 rules for forming plurals. Along with the dictionaries, each child will be given a pen, donated by Zurfluh Realty and Paper City Savings to write their name in their dictionary.

To date, The Dictionary Project has distributed more than 11 million dictionaries nationwide.

The Optimist motto is ‘Friend of Youth,’ with a goal of encouraging youths to expand their education. The Wisconsin Rapids Area Optimists club has more than 30 members.

The goal of this program is to assist students in completing the school year as good writers, active readers and creative thinkers by providing students with their own personal dictionary. The dictionaries are a gift to each student to use at school and at home for years to come.

Reading is the most important skill of all. It is the starting point for all the economic and social opportunities this world has to offer.

Through The Dictionary Project, people feel empowered to make change and improve education so that the children will grow up better prepared to compete in the global economy.

To donate to this worthy cause or for more information, call Terry Whitmore at 569-4115 or 435-3340 or Kathi Stebbins at 422-6116.