CALIFORNIA DICTIONARY PROJECT DONATES 4,300 DICTIONARIES TO EVERY THIRD GRADER IN SAN JOSE'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Third Annual Donation Brings Total Dictionary Distribution to 45,000 in San Francisco Bay Area

San Jose, Calif., December 15, 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 4,300 dictionaries to San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD) third graders. The CDP will hold its interactive distribution of dictionaries on Wednesday, December 15, at Grant Elementary School in San Jose, Calif. at 10:30 am.

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 Don Iglesias. "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 Don Iglesias, SJUSD Superintendent; Volunteers from Adobe Corporation and TBI Construction, and Janis Hubbs, 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 45,000 free dictionaries across the Bay Area since October 2002," said CDP founder and Board Chairman Mark Robinson. "As funding grows, the CDP expects to expand beyond the Bay Area to other parts of California in early 2005."

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 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," the California Dictionary Project believes that by reaching children early, providing them with tools (dictionaries), personalizing the delivery (volunteers from the local community) and teaching them how to use those tools (classroom presentations), they can grow into "readers." Since its inaugural year of 2002 - 2003, 45,000 dictionaries have been distributed to third grade students in California public schools. Operating revenues to run the 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 foundation and corporate grants, national and local sponsors, endowments, and gifts-in-kind.

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