Elks Lodge 1254 Donates 750 Dictionaries to Coeur d’Alene Third Graders

Elks Lodge 1254 Donates 750 Dictionaries to Coeur d’Alene Third Graders

Elks Lodge #1254 continued its long-standing commitment to literacy by donating 750 dictionaries to third-grade students in the Coeur d’Alene School District. At Skyway Elementary School, the excitement was immediate—students opened their books and eagerly explored definitions, the solar system, the Braille alphabet, and more.

Third grader Hayley Bedingfield gave a thumbs-up and shared, “It’s good. I’ve never looked through a dictionary.”

Each student received A Student’s Dictionary, which includes not only word definitions, but also essential educational content like the U.S. Constitution, multiplication tables, the water cycle, and the longest word in the English language. The quote on the cover, by philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein—“The limits of your language are the limits of your world”—captures the purpose behind this powerful resource.

“It actually gives them a way of searching words on paper instead of on a computer,” said Skyway teacher Cathleen Martin. “It’s a real tool for learning.”

Elks Trustee and past Exalted Ruler Pat Braden, who delivered the dictionaries, added: “They’re going to hold onto that dictionary and do something with it.”

The Elks’ involvement is part of The Dictionary Project, a national initiative that promotes strong literacy skills by providing students with their own personal dictionaries.

Third grader Colter Cafferty summed up the impact perfectly:

“I’ll probably bring it home and my parents will help me read this. Then I can be better at reading and writing.”