Rotary Club of Burney-Fall River gives dictionaries to third graders

Photos courtesy of Rotary Club of Burney-Fall River

During the past two weeks, members of the Rotary Club of Burney-Fall River visited elementary schools in Big Valley, Fall River Mills, and Burney to deliver free American Heritage Children’s Dictionaries to all 95 third graders.

Rotary Club members handing out dictionaries at Fall River Elementary School

The Rotary Club has been doing this for more than 20 years to help improve literacy.

This year, they gave out 8 dictionaries to students at Big Valley Elementary on September 8, 37 dictionaries at Fall River Elementary on September 13, and 50 dictionaries at Burney Elementary on September 15.

Rotary attendees included current club president, Bill Campbell, President-elect Jim Billo, Treasurer Paul Kerns. and Ed Siegal, who is helping to oversee Community Services.

The American Heritage Children’s Dictionary that the children received is an award-winning dictionary for children in grades 3-6, with age-appropriate vocabulary, lively example sentences, hundreds of engaging feature notes, and a stunning full-color art program. Pictures in full color help the children to recognize and associate words.

After handing out the books, students were asked to look up words like tiger and read the definition out loud.

One teacher, Melinda Booker was from Australia, so the children looked up koala. Students were also shown how to turn the pages so as not to damage them.

Fall River students examining their new books

The children are free to take the books home to use. For some of the children, this is the first book that they have ever owned.

Ed Siegel and Jim Billo addressing students at Big Valley Elementary

During the presentation, students were asked if they have ever heard of Rotary.  Many of the children had because of Rotary’s mentoring program at both Fall River and Burney Elemenary Schools.

Almost all of the children had been to the Burney Basin Days fireworks program hosted by Rotary during the 4th of July weekend.