The Rotary Club of York is continuing its long-standing commitment to supporting youth and promoting literacy by distributing personal dictionaries to every third-grade student in the region. This year, York Rotary members are delivering at least 214 dictionaries to students across seven area schools, with additional copies provided for teachers.
York Rotary Donates Dictionaries to Every Area Third Grader
York, Nebraska — The Rotary Club of York is continuing its long-standing commitment to supporting youth and promoting literacy by distributing personal dictionaries to every third-grade student in the region. This year, York Rotary members are delivering at least 214 dictionaries to students across seven area schools, with additional copies provided for teachers.
Since beginning the program in 2006, the Rotary Club of York has partnered with The Dictionary Project to ensure that every third grader receives their own personal dictionary—an important learning tool that supports reading comprehension, writing, and vocabulary development. Over the past two decades, the club has distributed more than 4,000 dictionaries to local students.
Dictionaries were delivered throughout the month of November to the following schools:
• York Elementary School
• Emmanuel-Faith Lutheran School
• St. Joseph’s Catholic School
• Heartland Community School
• Trinity Lutheran School
• McCool Junction Public Schools
• Cross County Community School
Since beginning the program in 2006, the Rotary Club of York has partnered with The Dictionary Project to ensure that every third grader receives their own personal dictionary—an important learning tool that supports reading comprehension, writing, and vocabulary development. Over the past two decades, the club has distributed more than 4,000 dictionaries to local students.
Dictionaries were delivered throughout the month of November to the following schools:
• York Elementary School
• Emmanuel-Faith Lutheran School
• St. Joseph’s Catholic School
• Heartland Community School
• Trinity Lutheran School
• McCool Junction Public Schools
• Cross County Community School
York Rotary members volunteered their time to visit classrooms and personally present the dictionaries, offering students a moment of encouragement and connection with community leaders. During one school visit, a third grader asked if they were allowed to keep their dictionary. When told yes, the student replied:
“This is the first thing I’ve ever owned that’s mine.”
Rotarians described the moment as a powerful reminder of how meaningful this project is to students.
York Rotarian Stephen Postier said, “I’ve been delivering dictionaries to area third graders for over 12 years, and it’s always an exciting experience to challenge the kids to find the longest word, or to find the population of the United States, or to learn a little sign language. They’re always so eager to flip through the pages to learn new information.”
“This is the first thing I’ve ever owned that’s mine.”
Rotarians described the moment as a powerful reminder of how meaningful this project is to students.
York Rotarian Stephen Postier said, “I’ve been delivering dictionaries to area third graders for over 12 years, and it’s always an exciting experience to challenge the kids to find the longest word, or to find the population of the United States, or to learn a little sign language. They’re always so eager to flip through the pages to learn new information.”
York Rotary Club President Jared Stark said, “It is so fulfilling to personally visit classrooms and see the faces of the kids light up when you hand them their own new dictionary. It is our goal in Rotary to do tangible things that impact our community in a positive way and this is one of those annual projects that can accomplish that goal.”
The purpose of the project aligns with Rotary’s global commitment to advancing education and supporting youth. By placing a dictionary in the hands of every third grader, York Rotary aims to spark curiosity, strengthen literacy skills, and empower children with a tool they can use throughout their academic journey. The Dictionary Project’s mission, to assist students in becoming confident, capable learners, fits closely with York Rotary’s focus on investing in the next generation.
The club plans to continue this tradition in the years ahead, reinforcing its commitment to service above self and supporting education throughout York County and the surrounding communities.
For media inquiries, please contact:
yorknerotary@gmail.com
For media inquiries, please contact:
yorknerotary@gmail.com