Briarcliff Rotary Gives Hands-on Learning Tool to Third-graders

From the Briarcliff schools

Each year, Briarcliff Manor Rotary Club members stop by Todd Elementary School to hand out dictionaries to each third-grade student.

Rotary President Eric Lebenson said the club is careful to set aside funds every year for this special initiative as part of the national Dictionary Project program.

“At this age, students still enjoy receiving their very own dictionary as a gift and are more inclined to use it than something they borrow from the library,” he said. “Their amazing thank-you notes and descriptions of their excitement seem to back up that theory.”

Dr. Kusum Sinha, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction, assessment and human resources, said the students’ enthusiasm for the gifts was very apparent after this year’s Dec. 9 drop-off.

“Later in the day, I was in a third-grade classroom, and as soon as students were done with their math lesson, they were eager to take out their dictionaries and share facts with one another,” she said.

Todd and the Rotary Club look forward to continuing to partner on the Dictionary Project for many years to come.

“These dictionaries are a wonderful resource to our students and teachers,” said Principal Nadine McDermott.

Photo Caption: Todd Elementary School third-graders in Briarcliff Manor flipped through dictionaries gifted to them by the Briarcliff Manor Rotary Club/Briarcliff school district