 |
 |
|||||
 |
||||||
|
||||||
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
CALIFORNIA DICTIONARY PROJECT ANNOUNCES DONATIONS OF NEARLY 8,000 DICTIONARIES TO BAY AREA THIRD GRADERS November 8 is Dictionary Day in West Contra Costa USD; November 16 is Dictionary Day in San Francisco USD Download PDF version. San Francisco, Calif., November 6, 2006 - The California Dictionary Project (www.californiadictionaryproject.org), a non-profit organization with the goal of annually donating a dictionary to every third grader in California's public school system, announced it is donating nearly 8,000 dictionaries to third graders in the West Contra Costa and San Francisco School Districts in the next two weeks. The donation of English and Spanish/English dictionaries to West Contra Costa students on November 8 encompasses 38 elementary schools and totals more than 2,500 books, 360 of which are English-Spanish. That morning, volunteers will distribute the books in classrooms and instruct students during a 30-minute training session on how to use their dictionaries through an interactive presentation, and encourage students to focus on reading, literacy and education for a successful future. In San Francisco, November 16th has been declared Dictionary Day, sponsored by the California Dictionary Project, Mayor Gavin Newsom’s volunteer initiative SF Connect and San Francisco School Volunteers. More than 4,150 English and 1,200 English-Spanish dictionaries will be distributed that day to third graders in more than 250 classrooms across San Francisco. Volunteers are being recruited and trained to distribute the dictionaries and conduct a 30-minute classroom lesson to third-grade students. "More than half (53 percent) of California third graders currently read below national grade level and we are reaching students at a time when they are beginning to develop the critical research and writing skills that are a crucial part of their learning and education," said Barry Graynor, President of the California Dictionary Project and an attorney at Cooley Godward Kronish LLP. "We believe that the dictionaries not only assist the students in their daily studies but also help them develop a sense of ownership and pride in something that will assist them in setting the stage for a successful academic career." Lisa Spinali, Executive Director of San Francisco School Volunteers, said, “This is a great example of how organizations can come together and make a real impact on the lives of these students, and we are thrilled to support an initiative that helps students become even more interested in reading and literacy. Dictionaries are timeless books that these students can use for many years.” Since the California Dictionary Project began in 2002, through partnerships with non profit organizations and community groups, it has distributed more than 50,000 dictionaries to third graders in the Bay Area. Staffed by volunteers, funding for the dictionaries, which cost less than $1.50 per book, comes through donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. A special thanks goes out to Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, The Hope and Norman Hope Foundation, the Louis R. Lurie Foundation, the Morrison & Foerster Foundation, the Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation, and the Zach Fund at the East Bay Community Foundation for their support of the project. 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," California Dictionary Project 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 the www.californiadictionaryproject.org, or contact Barry Graynor at (415) 693-2136. ### PR Contact: Barry Graynor Media Contact: Zach Olsen
|
|
|
