New dictionaries for Southern third-graders
Friendship Elementary third-graders are pictured with their new books and, back row, from left, American Legion members Bob Ketenheim, Jean and Larry Hollabaugh, and Brian Dudley.
Hannah Wingler and Ryder Fuller receive their dictionaries and flag etiquette from Bob Ketenheim, Legion service officer.
Publications/public information coordinator,
Southern York County School District
Glen Rock, Pa – The American Legion in Glen Rock recently provided a dictionary for every third grade student in the Southern York County School District. The Legion, which is comprised of the American Legion, Sons of the American Legion, and the American Legion Auxiliary, purchased the dictionaries from the Dictionary Project, a non-profit organization whose goal is to present a personal dictionary to each third-grader in the United States.
In 1995, the non-profit organization was formed. Since then, more than 10 million dictionaries have been distributed. This year, the Legion dispersed more than 260 dictionaries to third-graders at Friendship, Southern, and Shrewsbury elementary schools. Sons of the American Legion member Brian Dudley explained to students that the dictionaries were theirs to keep, use at school, and then take home at the end of the school year. These dictionaries will serve the students as they grow and move forward, he said.
The goal of the program is to assist all students in becoming good writers, active readers, creative thinkers, and resourceful learners by providing them with their own personal dictionaries. For the last several years, the American Legion has given the dictionaries as a gift for each third-grade student, Dudley said.
“Besides helping veterans, the American Legion also gives back to the community, state and nation,” he said. “These dictionaries can help you in every facet of your education.”
The third grade was chosen because this is the year that students begin to become more independent researchers and writers, according to Assistant Superintendent Sandra Lemmon. “This dictionary has a wealth of additional resources such as states and capitals for students to have access at their desks,” she said.
Webster’s Dictionaries for Students, provide students with rules of grammar, maps of the United States and other countries as well as U.S. history events, the Declaration of Independence, and branches of government. In addition, the dictionaries also provide information on weights and measures.
“Remember, if you are reading and find a word that you don’t know, don’t skip across it,” Dudley told the students. “Take a moment and stop to look up the word so next time you will know what the word means.”
In addition to the dictionaries, students also received a book about the story of Old Glory, the American Flag, which explains the proper care, respect and disposal of the flag. “The flag symbolizes our country and honors those people who served our country,” Dudley said.
Hannah Wingler and Ryder Fuller receive their dictionaries and flag etiquette from Bob Ketenheim, Legion service officer.
