Valley Grange gifts dictionaries to area third graders
A longstanding tradition in the region’s schools continued earlier this month as the Valley Grange of Guilford provided all area third graders with a dictionary through the Dictionary Project and the Grange’s Words for Thirds program.
The Dictionary Project has placed over 37 million dictionaries in the hands of school children around the world. This is Valley Grange’s 20th year and the organization has presented over 4,000 dictionaries to third graders in the area in the last two decades.
This year dictionaries were given to students at SeDoMoCha Elementary in Dover-Foxcroft, Ridge View Community School in Dexter, Brownville Elementary, Harmony Elementary and Piscataquis Community Elementary School in Guilford.
WORDS FOR THIRDS — For the 20th year, the Valley Grange gave dictionaries to area third graders. SeDoMoCha Elementary students in Dover-Foxcroft sought out definitions in their brand new dictionaries.
The Grange team for this year included Mary Annis, Louise Busher, John McNamara, Janice Boomsma, Shelly Clough, Grace Lommel and Pat Engstrom (not all are members of the Valley Grange).
“This program works for many reasons, but one big one is that it’s ultimately about community and helping each other,” Valley Grange Program Director Walter Boomsma said. “I always enjoy watching the kids help each other when we look up words and often point out that it is an example of leadership. Now more than ever, we need to discover ways to connect with each other.”
When the kids were lined up and leaving the Dexter presentation, one boy came over to Boomsma and handed him a folded up dollar bill. The student wanted to contribute.
YOU CAN LOOK IT UP — Ridge View third graders take a look at the dictionaries given to them by the Valley Grange of Guilford.
The Valley Grange plans to acknowledge some of its supporters at the Dec. 5 meeting when members will serve breakfast for supper.
Program objectives include introducing students to a basic understanding of the Grange from a historical perspective and how the Grange’s values drive the Dictionary Program; explaining and emphasizing the Grange value of stewardship, specifically in caring for their new dictionaries; and creating enthusiasm for learning and using their dictionaries together with some basic dictionary skills and encouraging students to “look it up!”
SEEING WHAT’S INSIDE — Brownville Elementary students were among the third graders across the region given dictionaries by the Valley Grange.