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What’s the word? Rotarians prepare to give out dictionaries

By Staff | Sep 17, 2014

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Attorney and Rotarian Ken Thompson was one of many who helped to box up the free dictionaries that Rotarians all over the county plan to hand out to students on Oct. 3.

It’s nice when someone gives a student a book with no strings attached, except that it be used for school work and to help kids build a vocabulary.

That’s what the 13 Rotary clubs of Lee County are going to do next month when they give away thousands of dictionaries to all third graders in Lee County.

It’s an idea that was started by the Rotary Club of Lehigh Acres back in 2002 when the small club of Rotarians went to all the schools in Lehigh and gave away dictionaries to the delight of students and their teachers.

“It felt good and the students were excited,” said Jack Vealey, project coordinator for the Lehigh club.

Well students, get ready. On Oct. 3, dictionaries will be personally given by Rotarians to every third grade student in the Lee County’s public school system.

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Group of Rotarians and Interact Club members from East Lee county High School who participated in putting labels in thousands of free dictionaries for county third graders.

That means some 10,000 dictionaries to the 50 elementary schools in the county.

And more than 1,500 of the dictionaries will give out by the Lehigh Acres club to the seven elementary schools now located in Lehigh Acres.

Just a few days ago, Rotarians were placing labels inside each dictionary letting students know they were a gift from the Rotary Clubs of Lee County.

“The label also has a place for students to put their names and contains the ‘Rotary’s 4-Way Test’ which is the guiding principles that Rotarians live by,” Vealey said.

That 4-Way Test asks the following four questions:

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Some of the many people who helped put labels in dictionaries to be given away.

Is it the truth?

Is it fair to all concerned?

Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

“That’s a good plan to live by,” Vealey said. “We hope the kids will read and use those words while they attend school and later in life.”

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Dictionaries are being boxed up for third graders in all of Lee County.

In the inside cover, Rotarians also put labels for the students to put their name on.

“That way, we want the students to know that these are their books and by putting their names on the labels, they are theirs to keep for the rest of their lives,” Vealey said.

All the Rotary clubs sent members to the prep day for the dictionary handout, which was held at the Lee County Public Education Center in Fort Myers. In addition to members of the Rotary Club of Lehigh Acres, it included members of the club’s sponsored Interact Club of East Lee County High School in Lehigh, accompanied by family members, and joined by members of the other 12 clubs in the county.

Vealey noted that the dictionaries are a gift to each student to use at school and home for many years to come.

“Spelling and vocabulary are two of the central focuses for students during their third grade year. These dictionaries will provide students with extra support while working with challenging words. The goal of his program is to assist all students in becoming good writers, active readers, creative thinkers, and resourceful learners by providing them with their own personal dictionary.

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Interact Club East Lee County High is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lehigh Acres. Left to right, back row, are member Emre Zileoglu and adviser Randy Moody; front row, members Yazmin Tellenz, Bianco Soto, Vanessa Casiano and adviser Lee Moody.

“We feel that providing dictionaries is one of the best investments we could make in the community,” Vealey said. Others nodded in agreement.

The Lehigh club began the project and the following year, the idea was such a good one that all of the other Rotary clubs in Lee County joined in and handed out dictionaries to students in other areas of Lee County.

In 2002, dictionaries first were given to students at Lehigh Elementary, Mirror Lake Elementary, Sunshine Elementary, Alva Elementary, and Gateway Elementary.

This will be the 12th consecutive year for the dictionary gifts to be handed out.

And during that time frame, some 100,000 dictionaries have been provided to third grade students in Lee County, all thanks to the generosity of Rotarians.

What’s the word? Rotarians prepare to give out dictionaries

By Staff | Sep 17, 2014

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Attorney and Rotarian Ken Thompson was one of many who helped to box up the free dictionaries that Rotarians all over the county plan to hand out to students on Oct. 3.

It’s nice when someone gives a student a book with no strings attached, except that it be used for school work and to help kids build a vocabulary.

That’s what the 13 Rotary clubs of Lee County are going to do next month when they give away thousands of dictionaries to all third graders in Lee County.

It’s an idea that was started by the Rotary Club of Lehigh Acres back in 2002 when the small club of Rotarians went to all the schools in Lehigh and gave away dictionaries to the delight of students and their teachers.

“It felt good and the students were excited,” said Jack Vealey, project coordinator for the Lehigh club.

Well students, get ready. On Oct. 3, dictionaries will be personally given by Rotarians to every third grade student in the Lee County’s public school system.

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Group of Rotarians and Interact Club members from East Lee county High School who participated in putting labels in thousands of free dictionaries for county third graders.

That means some 10,000 dictionaries to the 50 elementary schools in the county.

And more than 1,500 of the dictionaries will give out by the Lehigh Acres club to the seven elementary schools now located in Lehigh Acres.

Just a few days ago, Rotarians were placing labels inside each dictionary letting students know they were a gift from the Rotary Clubs of Lee County.

“The label also has a place for students to put their names and contains the ‘Rotary’s 4-Way Test’ which is the guiding principles that Rotarians live by,” Vealey said.

That 4-Way Test asks the following four questions:

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Some of the many people who helped put labels in dictionaries to be given away.

Is it the truth?

Is it fair to all concerned?

Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

“That’s a good plan to live by,” Vealey said. “We hope the kids will read and use those words while they attend school and later in life.”

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Dictionaries are being boxed up for third graders in all of Lee County.

In the inside cover, Rotarians also put labels for the students to put their name on.

“That way, we want the students to know that these are their books and by putting their names on the labels, they are theirs to keep for the rest of their lives,” Vealey said.

All the Rotary clubs sent members to the prep day for the dictionary handout, which was held at the Lee County Public Education Center in Fort Myers. In addition to members of the Rotary Club of Lehigh Acres, it included members of the club’s sponsored Interact Club of East Lee County High School in Lehigh, accompanied by family members, and joined by members of the other 12 clubs in the county.

Vealey noted that the dictionaries are a gift to each student to use at school and home for many years to come.

“Spelling and vocabulary are two of the central focuses for students during their third grade year. These dictionaries will provide students with extra support while working with challenging words. The goal of his program is to assist all students in becoming good writers, active readers, creative thinkers, and resourceful learners by providing them with their own personal dictionary.

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN Interact Club East Lee County High is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lehigh Acres. Left to right, back row, are member Emre Zileoglu and adviser Randy Moody; front row, members Yazmin Tellenz, Bianco Soto, Vanessa Casiano and adviser Lee Moody.

“We feel that providing dictionaries is one of the best investments we could make in the community,” Vealey said. Others nodded in agreement.

The Lehigh club began the project and the following year, the idea was such a good one that all of the other Rotary clubs in Lee County joined in and handed out dictionaries to students in other areas of Lee County.

In 2002, dictionaries first were given to students at Lehigh Elementary, Mirror Lake Elementary, Sunshine Elementary, Alva Elementary, and Gateway Elementary.

This will be the 12th consecutive year for the dictionary gifts to be handed out.

And during that time frame, some 100,000 dictionaries have been provided to third grade students in Lee County, all thanks to the generosity of Rotarians.