BARTOW, Fla. — The former mayor of Bartow loves passing on his passion for the power of words. Steve Githens has been delivering thousands of special dictionaries to third-grade students in Polk County for many years.   What You Need To Know Former Bartow mayor Steve Githens takes thousands of dictionaries to Polk County third graders It’s a project of the Bartow Rotary Club Githens... Read More

The Rotary Club of Elizabeth continued their annual Dictionary Project, bringing smiles and learning to third-grade students across the Elizabeth Forward School District in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. Rotarians provided more than 170 dictionaries to three elementary schools.  Their enthusiasm and appreciation reminded us just how powerful the simple gift of a book can be. Each year, the Rotary Club of Elizabeth participates in the national Dictionary Project, helping young students... Read More

Since 2006, the Rotary Club of Natick has proudly supported Rotary International’s mission to increase literacy through its annual Dictionary Project. Each year, every third grader in the Natick Public Schools receives a personalized Student Dictionary of their own. The dictionary is packed with more than just word definitions. The first portion serves as a traditional dictionary, while the rest includes a fun and... Read More

This holiday season, Gary Pollmiller (A dedicated Rotarian since 1988 and supporter of The Dictionary Project since 2001) helped spread Christmas cheer in a very special way as he recently donned his Santa suit for the annual Parsons, Kansas Christmas Parade, delighting the community as he rode through town aboard a fire truck.   When asked to describe himself in one word, Gary says,... Read More

On December 3rd, 2025, the Redding chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association visited the children at St. Joseph Catholic School in Redding, CA, to deliver brand-new dictionaries to the third-grade class. Their visit brought smiles, gratitude, and a renewed focus on the importance of literacy in young learners’ lives. In addition to the dictionaries, every student from kindergarten through eighth grade received a United States flag generously... Read More

Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) recently partnered with the Paradise Valley Rotary Club to champion literacy across the community through their continued involvement in The Dictionary Project. This national initiative places a personal dictionary in the hands of every third grader, supporting vocabulary development, independent learning, and long-term academic success. PVCC faculty, staff, students, and Rotary volunteers came together on campus to prepare 1,500... Read More

Promoting Literacy and Healthy Choices in Our Community Norwalk Elks # 730 recently partnered with area schools to deliver two impactful programs designed to support children’s education and well-being: The Dictionary Project and the Elks National Drug Awareness Program. Both initiatives highlight the Elks’ ongoing commitment to empowering young people with knowledge, confidence, and life-building tools.   Elks Dictionary Project Since 1995, The Dictionary... Read More

This fall, Volunteers for Literacy/Habersham Co. (VFL) continued their annual tradition of bringing The Dictionary Project to local third graders—complete with an inspiring message, a lively rap, and plenty of smiles. The Volunteers for Literacy of Habersham County has partnered with The Dictionary Project since 2015, donating more than 5,520 dictionaries to local third graders. Their continued support helps promote literacy and a lifelong... Read More

Since 2007, the Madera Elks Lodge No. 1918 has proudly partnered with The Dictionary Project to promote literacy and learning among local students. To date, the Lodge has donated an impressive 37,752 dictionaries to third-grade students in the Madera and Chowchilla communities. Each year, Lodge members raise funds to purchase dictionaries for students in 27 local schools, ensuring that every third grader receives their very... Read More