CALIFORNIA DICTIONARY PROJECT DONATES DICTIONARIES TO EVERY THIRD GRADE STUDENT IN THE SAN JOSE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Donation of 4,700 Dictionaries Aims at Improving Literacy of California's School-Age Population

San Jose, Calif., April 5, 2004 - The California Dictionary Project (www.californiadictionaryproject.org), a non-profit organization aimed at donating and distributing a dictionary annually to every third grade student in California's public school system, today announced its circulation of 4,700 dictionaries to San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD) third graders. The CDP will hold its interactive distribution of dictionaries on Tuesday, April 6, at Canoas Elementary School in San Jose, Calif. from 10 - 11 a.m.

While third grade is a critical time to capture a child's focus and curiosity about words and language, according to educators, 53 percent of third graders across California currently read below national grade level. Touting the Motto "Today a reader, tomorrow a leader," the CDP intends to reverse California's weak literacy by donating dictionaries, perhaps the first and most powerful reference and active educational tool that a child should own.
"We're thrilled to be a part of this ambitious effort with the California Dictionary Project to provide resources for the children to engage in additional language learning," said SJUSD Superintendent Dr. Linda T. Murray. "Improving students' reading skills has always been a major goal of the SJUSD, and the efforts from CDP and volunteers around the community truly make a difference."

The CDP will distribute English and Spanish/English dictionaries during interactive classroom visits and presentations. Supporting the CDP at the event will be Dr. Linda Murray, SJUSD Superintendent; Don Iglesias, Superintendent Elect, Boardmember Veronica Lewis and Carol Garcia, the school's principal. Additional distribution volunteers across the school district include employees from companies such as Intel, Apple, Adobe, and IBM.

This year's San Jose distribution was donated by the Severns Family Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting Northern California community needs in the areas of education, arts/culture, healthcare, social services and environmental management. "We are glad to continue our support for the California Dictionary Project in helping to improve the kids' educational lives through literary resources," said Dave Severns of the Severns Family Foundation. "The dictionary distribution is a special moment for the kids, we enjoy being a part of it."

"The California Dictionary Project has already distributed 26,000 free dictionaries across the Bay Area since October 2002," said CDP founder and president Mark Robinson. "As funding grows, the CDP expects to expand beyond the Bay Area to other parts of California in the coming years."

The founders of the CDP were inspired to create the organization as a result of the work by Mary French, a South Carolina woman that began a non-profit to buy dictionaries for every third grade student (www.dictionaryproject.org). Her efforts have been the basis of similar programs in more than forty states.

About The California Dictionary Project

The California Dictionary Project (CDP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving literacy in California's public schools, one child at a time. With the motto "Today a reader, tomorrow a leader," CDP works with volunteer organizations and individuals to distribute free dictionaries annually to third graders during classroom visits. Operating revenues to run California Dictionary Project come mainly from charitable donors committed to encouraging literacy in California's public elementary schools. In addition to cash donations, the organization seeks national and local sponsors, corporate grants, endowments and gifts-in-kind.

For more information, please visit www.californiadictionaryproject.org, or contact Barry Graynor at (415) 693-2136.