Why a book dictionary when schools have online access? According to the Rotary\u2019s project notes, \u201cit matters a great deal.\u201d Educators have told them online dictionaries are better suited for adults; elementary students benefit far more when they learn to use an actual dictionary book.<\/p>\n The book doesn\u2019t \u2018pop up\u2019 the word or fix the spelling for the student like an online site would. The student has to consider the spelling and word breakdown to locate the word. Plus, students will often find new words on their way to look up the original one.<\/p>\n \u201cIt gets them into the mindset on how<\/em> to do things,\u201d explained Rotarian Bonnie Welch, who runs a karate school in La Mesa.<\/p>\n Welch was one of more than 17 Rotarians who volunteered to hand deliver these books to the classrooms.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really neat to be able to share my love of language with them,\u201d Rotarian and delivery volunteer Becki Schwartz said. Schwartz works as a physical therapist.<\/p>\n The front of each dictionary contains a sticker with the Rotary\u2019s Four-Way test. The Four-Way test is a set of principles the Rotaries live and do business by, asking themselves four questions before any decision or behavior:<\/p>\n Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?<\/p>\n When the dictionaries are presented to the students, they review these four questions together with the Rotarian.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was cool to be able to share what Rotary is and what we do,\u201d Schwartz said. \u201cRotary principles fall in line with their school rules and being good citizens of their community and their world.\u201d<\/p>\n Welch added, \u201cThese are principles that Rotary lives under, but everybody should think about.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, not all students are overjoyed about a dictionary. But they do act like Santa has come to town when they find out that that book belongs to them \u2014 permanently. On the sticker in the front is also special space for the student to put their own name, and at the end of the year they get to take the book home for good.<\/p>\n \u201cFor some of these students [in some schools a large majority], this is the first book they own,\u201d Welch said.<\/p>\n The Rotary project has been ongoing for several years now, so many of the current third graders have older siblings with their own dictionaries \u2014 continuing the generation of reading.<\/p>\n And that is beneficial to all concerned.<\/p>\n Projects like this and the upcoming \u201cBikes for Kids\u201d are funded by the La Mesa Rotary Foundation. The Foundation welcomes donations, which can be given at lamesarotary.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"_topwebimg_3157\"](\"https:\/\/lamesacourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/topwebIMG_3157.jpg\")
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