Eyestone third graders get free dictionaries

Rotary members are on a mission to put a full-color, hardbound dictionary in the hands of every third grader in Poudre School District. That means 1,600 dictionaries this year.

On April 12, Wellington's Eyestone Elementary School students filed into the cafeteria, sat on the floor, received their dictionaries and immediately cracked them open to find an abundance of information. The dictionaries are published by Houghton Mifflin and cost about $9 each.

Brian Burck, chairman of the Rotary Read Committee, encouraged the youngsters to use the dictionaries in their classrooms through the end of the school year and then take them home to help with their studies in future years.

Three local Rotary clubs also sponsor Rotary Read, a program to foster a love of reading. Since 1992, the clubs have hosted a nationally renowned children's author to visit local schools.

During Rotary Read Week, students are asked to read for 15 minutes a night for one week. All students that accomplish the task have their names put into a drawing to receive a book certificate worth $10. Last year 3,295 students participated in the reading program, Burck said, and Rotary Read gave out 1,000 book certificates.