CALIFORNIA DICTIONARY PROJECT KICKS OFF ITS 7TH YEAR WITH A 5,200-DICTIONARY DONATION ON NATIONAL DICTIONARY DAY

San Francisco, Calif. - October 13, 2008. /PRNewswire/ -- Noah Webster, "father of the American dictionary," probably never visited California. But he'd surely be proud to learn that the California Dictionary Project (www.californiadictionaryproject.org) chose his birthday to begin its 7th consecutive year of donating and distributing dictionaries to third-grade students.

On National Dictionary Day, volunteers from the community and local business will visit nearly 200 third-grade classrooms in 5 school districts, present more than 5,200 children with a brand-new dictionary to call their own, and lead a 30-minute activity lesson to introduce the young students to their new books.

"The dictionaries are a gift that the students can keep forever and it's a joy to see their faces light up when they receive their new books," said Barry Graynor, California Dictionary Project board chair and an attorney at Cooley Godward Kronish LLP. "The dictionaries help the students in their education and in developing a sense of ownership and pride in learning."

Today's event is made possible through a generous grant from the Cisco Systems Foundation. In the 2008-2009 school year, the California Dictionary Project will donate more than 23,000 dictionaries in up to 20 more districts.

PHOTO AND INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY

Who: Third-grade students celebrate lexicographer Noah Webster's 250th birthday by receiving brand-new dictionaries donated by the California Dictionary Project

What: In-class dictionary presentation by community volunteers

When: Thursday, October 16, 2008, identical presentations at 9:30am and 10:30am

Where:

* 9:30am: Chavez School, 2000 Kammerer Avenue, San Jose 95116, 408-928-7306

* 10:30am: Pomeroy School, 1250 Pomeroy Ave, Santa Clara 95051, 408-554-0834

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA DICTIONARY PROJECT

The California Dictionary Project (www.californiadictionaryproject.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to donate and distribute a free dictionary to third-grade students in California's public schools, annually.

With the motto "Today a reader, tomorrow a leader," the California Dictionary Project believes that by reaching children early (third grade), providing them with tools (dictionaries), personalizing the delivery (community volunteers), and teaching them how to use those tools (classroom presentations), "readers" will grow.

Since its founding in 2002, the organization has donated and distributed more than 116,000 dictionaries. The all-volunteer organization is supported entirely by foundation and private donations.

SOURCE The California Dictionary Project