June 2, 2004

Project provides dictionaries to third graders

By Carol Rosen
Editor

The California Dictionary Project (CDP) donated dictionaries to all third graders in the San Jose Unified School District on April 6 as part of its ongoing project to provide dictionaries to all third graders. Since October 2002, the project has distributed 26,000 free dictionaries across the Bay Area.

This year’s donation started at Canoas Elementary School in Willow Glen, which coincidentally, recently was named a California Distinguished School (see story, page 1). This year, the CDP distributed 4,700 dictionaries to SJUSD’s third graders.

The donated dictionaries include a large number of Spanish/English as well as English dictionaries. They were presented to Canoas students by SJUSD Superintendent Dr. Linda Murray, Don Iglesias, superintendent-elect, board member Veronica Lewis and Carol Garcia, the school’s principal.

The third and third/fourth grade classes from Canoas were excited. The children received the dictionaries with respect and jumped at the chance to look up words and read them to the adults visiting their classrooms and to their teachers. Once they had thumbed through their new books, for some the first books the children had ever owned, they played dictionary games with teachers and Dr. Murray, Garcia, Lewis, Iglesias and the reporters from local newspapers and TV and radio stations.

The third grade is a critical time to capture a child’s focus and curiosity about words and language,” according to a CDP statement. According to educators, 53 percent of third graders across California currently read below the national grade level. Touting the motto, “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader,” the CDP intends to reverse California’s weak literacy by donating dictionaries, perhaps the first and most powerful reference and active educational tool that a child should own.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of this ambitious effort with the California Dictionary Project to provide resources for the children to engage in additional language learning,” said Dr. Murray. “Improving students reading skills has always been a major goal for the SJUSD, and the efforts from CDP and volunteers around the community truly make a difference.”

Dictionaries were distributed to other schools in the district by volunteers who are employed at Intel Corporation, Apple Computer, Adobe, IBM, Federal Express, the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club. The Severns Family

Foundation donated the SJUSD distribution. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting Northern California community needs for education, arts/culture, healthcare, social services and environmental management.

“We are glad to continue our support for the California Dictionary Project in helping to improve the kids’ educational lives through literary resources. The dictionary distribution is a special moment for the kids, we enjoy being a part of it,” said Dave Severns of the Foundation.

The CDP was founded through the work of Mary French, a South Carolina woman who began a nonprofit to buy dictionaries for every third grade student. Her efforts have been the basis of similar programs in more than 40 states.
The CDP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving literacy in California’s public schools. It works with volunteer organizations and individuals to distribute free dictionaries annually to third graders during classroom visits.

Operating revenues to run CDP come mainly from charitable donors committed to encouraging literacy in California’s public elementary schools. It seeks cash donations, national and local sponsors, corporate grants, endowments and gifts-in-kind. Fore more information, visit the U.S. organization at www.dictionaryproject.org, or the local Web site at www.dictionariesforkids.org or call Mark Robinson, president at (510) 923-9678.