Optimist Club of Green Bay Launches Landmark Literacy Project for Third Graders

Green Bay Optimist Club Distributes Dictionaries to Third Graders Across Eight Schools

The Optimist Club of Green Bay has launched a major literacy effort—its first large-scale dictionary project—reaching eight schools across the city. A total of 576 third grade students received their very own Student Dictionary, packed with definitions, maps, science facts, and U.S. history.

This initiative began as a reading mentorship at Howe Elementary School in 2018. Optimist member Jack LeDuc, a retired science teacher, noticed strong academic gains among second graders. Realizing that few students had access to books at home, the club searched for an affordable educational tool and discovered The Dictionary Project.

Inspired by early success, the Green Bay Optimist Foundation expanded the program. Dictionaries were given to students at Howe, Fort Howard, Tank, Nicolet, Sullivan, Baird, Eisenhower, and Danz Elementary Schools. Each classroom also received extra copies for everyday use. For students who speak Spanish as their first language, bilingual English-Spanish dictionaries were provided.

Club President Brenda Wolff, along with coaches Abbey Sutherland and Jackie Adams from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay Volleyball, visited classrooms to deliver books and demonstrate how to use them. UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander also joined the event at Eisenhower Elementary, supported by faculty and student volunteers.

This project underscores the club’s belief that big change begins with small actions. What started as a simple idea—giving students a book—has become a powerful tool to close the literacy gap.

📚 “We hope other community groups—like Rotary, Lions, Elks, Eagles, and churches—adopt local schools this year and do the same,” said a club representative. “These books empower the next generation.”