Third grade students at Hayes and Stevenson Elementary were given their own copy of A Student’s Dictionary on October 12 by members of the Fridley-Columbia Heights Rotary Club. The generous tradition, now in its 13th year, helps to accomplish one of the Rotary’s six areas of focus: basic education and literacy. 

After the dictionaries were passed out, Dr. Kim Hiel, superintendent of Fridley Public Schools and Rotary Club member, engaged students by helping them find useful resources such as the table of contents, multiplication tables, sign language graphics and the longest word in the English language. 

“Through Rotary’s Dictionary Project we have true partnership and true building of our community in helping our students understand spelling, definitions and other things that occur in the world that can be found in the dictionary,” said Hiel.

The Dictionary Project is one of the many community service projects that the Fridley-Columbia Heights Rotary Club participates in. They note on their website that “basic education and literacy are essential for reducing poverty, improving health, encouraging community and economic development, and promoting peace.”

We are so thankful to the generous contributions of the Fridley-Columbia Heights Rotary Club!