en·cour·age/inˈkərij/, verb: 1. to make (someone) more determined, hopeful, or confident 2. to make (something) more appealing or more likely to happen Encouragement is a powerful tool. It gives us the opportunity to point out a person’s potential and challenge them to succeed at a specific goal. But encouragement does not have to be amplified cheers in an arena to leave a profound impression.... Read More

in·ter·act /ˌin(t)ərˈakt/, verb: 1. to talk or do things with other people 2. to act together : to come together and have an effect on each other The opportunity for social interaction is very important for the development of a child’s interpersonal skills, including self-awareness, the ability to problem solve, and effectively communicate. Children who learn appropriate social skills often have a higher self-esteem... Read More

sup·port /səˈpôrt/, verb: 1. to bear all or part of the weight of; hold up 2. to give assistance to, especially financially; enable to function or act Over the past 20 years, Dictionary Project supporters have donated more than 26 million dictionaries and contributed countless volunteer hours to ensure more students will be able to enjoy the benefits of owning a dictionary – Proof... Read More

Excerpt from the Philadelphia Rotary Bulletin (December, 2015): One of our nation’s most famous demographers has described the impact of the USA’s persistent very high rate of inequality among children as dependent on “The Accident of Birth.” Being born into poverty—certainly not always… but all too often — sets the stage for failure in life. A recent research study noted dramatic differences between children... Read More

The LeGrange Housing Authority, GA The LaGrange Housing Authority is committed to adding value to lives of their residents. They believe that knowledge is power and reading is a fundamental skill. “We are very aware that kids love toys and gifts during the holiday season, but we felt it is necessary to empower our kids with knowledge,” said Zsa Zsa Heard, CEO.“We decided that... Read More

Starting a dictionary project in memory of a family member, friend or colleague is a meaningful way to pay tribute to their life and carry on the impact they made in yours. After hearing about The Dictionary Project in the 2002 Wall Street Journal article, Linda Keetch and her husband Brent started a memorial project in honor of her mother and father, “a man... Read More

Force /fôrs/, noun: 1. strength or energy that has an effect on someone or something “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.” Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929 – 1968 2. an influence (i.e., push or pull) that tends to produce a change in an object’s speed or direction of motion “Weight, force and casual impulse, together with resistance, are... Read More

rev·e·la·tion /revəˈlāSH(ə)n/, noun: 1. an act of revealing or communicating divine truth “Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.” Ludwig van Beethoven, 1770 – 1827 2. a surprising and previously unknown fact, especially one that is made known in a dramatic way “The revelation of thought takes men out of servitude into freedom.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803 – 1882 pictured: Students... Read More