By JoAnn Laird
Each November, third graders in Archuleta County are treated to a special gift that brightens their days — the gift of words. Thanks to the nationwide Rotary Dictionary Project, the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs presents each student with their very own personal dictionary. This initiative opens a door to learning and discovery.
These dictionaries go beyond mere definitions. They are filled with maps, information about U.S. presidents, and mathematical conversion tables, providing students with valuable tools to explore new concepts and expand their knowledge base.
Rotary Club members eagerly participate in this project, delighting in the students' excitement as they receive their dictionaries. Rotarians not only distribute the books but also assist the students in learning how to use them effectively. The joy visible on the children's faces speaks volumes about the project's success. Yet, the true reward for the Rotarians is the fulfillment they experience from enriching a child's world through the power of words.
Heartfelt thanks from the students
The third graders' thank-you notes reflect their enthusiasm and gratitude for their new dictionaries. Here are some of their unedited, heartfelt messages:
• Mrs. Coleman’s Class: “Thank you for giving our class the educational and entertaining dictionaries. We will learn so many new words and definitions by reading them. Our class is very excited to grow our knowledge and improve our vocabulary. The Rotary Club was so kind and generous to provide us with these dictionaries. We are very thankful for you and your generosity.”
• Kinley: “Thank you for generously giving me a dictionary. I had to look up the word generously in the new dictionary. I do not eving know how to spell Colorado till I looked it up, that is because I just moved from Alaska. I just got it and I have used it alot.
“I can’t whate to learn more abowt spelling. I love it!”
• Cody: “Thank you for the Dictionary’s. and for every thing you’ve done and i cant wait to learn with the dictionary.”
• BayLee: “Thank you so much for the dictionary. I am so so so excited to learn. I cant wait to learn new words. I am doing a animal projeocet about koalas and from the cover I can tell I am going to learn a lot about them.”
• Madison: “Thank you for the dictionary. And I can’t wait to look up new words in it. You are the best! I can’t wait to take it home with me. Thank you! I’m excited.”
• Carlie: “Thank you for the dictionary. I’m so excited to see what is in the dictionary. I can’t wait to read the stuff in the dictionary. You are the best for giving use the dictionary. I can’t wait to learn new thing’s in the dictionary. Like animal’s and power tool’s and all kind’s of thing’s.”
• Shiloh: “Thank you so much for the dictionary. I can’t what to learn so much stuff. I relly appreciate you giving us the dictionaries. I’m learning so much stuff I going to be the kide ho know’s how to spell everything. Now when I am home scooling whith my dad he doesn’t havt to look up how to spell stuff whit his pone. how about this wen I am eny where and I need help to spell some thing I won’t ask an adult I will look in my dictionary I promiss.”
• Pia: “Thank you for the dictionarys! I can’t wat to look at new words. You are the best! Thank you so much! I am so excited! I can’t wait to take the dictionary home. I have been looking at new words. I can’t for you to see this leter. I really appreciate you giving us the dictionarys. Thank you for what you do for are community.”
• Genevieve: “Thank you for the dictionary. I appreciate the dictionary very much. You are very generous gifting us dictionaries. Cant wait to look up new words. You are awsome.”
• Canaan: “Thank you so much for the dictionarys. I’m really happy that we got a dictionary. I can’t whait to learn new artifats. You are the best club ever. Thank you! I am so exided.”
• Liam: “Thank you so moch for the dictionary. I hope you hav more for the skool mis. sikes clas”
• Cooper: “Thank you guys for the dictioary. I really appeciate that you gave us the 879 dictioary’s. You are the best! I’m so excited!”
• Karlie: “Thank you so much for the dictionary. I can finally look up the stuff I need to know in the 878 page dictionary. I really appreciate that you gave it to us! You are AMAZING!!! Thank you!”
• Sofia: “Thank for to giv us a dictionary. than you he peppl than you to ed cind than you far the Dictionary.”
• Kyleah: “Thank you for giving us these dictionaries! I already used it like 10 times. It really helps me! You guys are so nice, kind, and sweet. thank you”
• Avitt: “Thank you for the hudge Dictionary even the word is long!! I lernd to spell prehistoric, marigold, koala, identical, and rhinoceros. And I just want to say one more time Thank you!!!”
• Kooper: “Thank you for giving us dictinary’s so we can learn how to spell. Thank you for helping us too! Thank you for helping 3rd graders.”
• Will: “Dyer redery club, thank you for giving all the bictianarys to all the therd grade. I even yousd the bicshenesy for this note. it was so splinded of you to bo this for the therd grayd ...”
• Keyonnah: “Thank you for the Dictionarys. I will yus it all the time. What buwh you gise duoy? Your farend, Keyonnah”
• Neitzey: “Thank you for giving us Dictinnarys. Thanks for helping people out. What do you gise do win you are borrd?”
• Jacob: “What thening do you gise do when you are dord. do you gise do you play sporst.”
• Kiana: “Thank you for the dictionary! I Like the drone, koala, prehistoric, marigolg, sabbath, and vultures. Thank you for … DICTIONARY!!! your firend Kiana”
• Asher: “Thank yo for the dictionary. I have already started looking stuff up. I love my dictionary. Thank you for getting us dictionarys with pictiurs. The dictionary is the best now I no how to spell some words I didn’t now how to spell. Have a nice day.”
• Esperanza: “thank you for riding lot of word and you are oese my friends and I like pichrse I was waning bo you make thes pichr of the anlase and you go ever that how you do that But you are my friends.”
• Callie: “thank you for Dictionary. I am so happy! Thank you is just so cool I get to spell well. Thank you so much. you are a rock star.”
• Adam: “Thank you for giving us the Dictionarys they are so cool! I Love mine! I can not wate to look up woods in it! they are so cool.”
• Name Unreadable: “thank you for boks.”
• No Name Given: “Thank you for everything you have done. Thank you for all the help you guy’s have done. Thank you for the dictionnary. I’t so so so so so cooool. Thank you for helping families in need.”
• No Name Given: “thank you for the Dictionary. I searched up sausage sauna and sawdust. Thank you for helping families in need. You have helped lots of people. it’s so cooooooool!!!”
These notes, filled with enthusiasm and appreciation, highlight the impact of the Rotary Club’s thoughtful gesture. The dictionaries are more than just books; they are tools that will aid these young students in their educational journey for years to come.
Together, we can make a significant difference. To support local Rotary projects, please consider sending donations to:
Pagosa Rotary CAF
P.O. Box 685
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147