Fifth Grade Students at John H. Bayne Elementary Receive Dictionaries

Fifth Grade Students at John H. Bayne Elementary Receive Dictionaries

Fifth grade students at John H. Bayne Elementary School in Capitol Heights, Maryland, recently received a gift that supports lifelong learning: their own personal dictionaries. Donated through The Dictionary Project, these books are helping students develop essential language and research skills—without relying on the internet.

Their teacher, Akua Johnson, shared why this initiative is especially valuable in today’s digital age:

“I realize that in this day and age everybody uses the internet to find everything, but I need my scholars to understand the value of finding information OFFLINE. Because my scholars do not realize that if for any reason the power goes out, they are stuck. So we use books, paper, and pencils wherever possible.”

The excitement was clear as students explored definitions, synonyms, and extra features like maps and historical facts. Offline tools like these help young learners build confidence and independence, especially in situations where technology isn’t available.