The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) will distribute dictionaries to 3rd grade public, parochial and non-public elementary schools students in the territory, according to a press release from CFVI’s president, Dee Baecher-Brown.
Last year, through the Dictionary Fund at CFVI, approximately 1,900 dictionaries were providedterritorywide to elementary schools, bringing the total to over 12,500 in the last seven years. Another 1,900 are expected to be distributed this year.
Individual volunteers and businesses as well as representatives from FirstBank on St. Thomas and the Rotary Mid-Isle Club of St. Croix will provide distribution assistance. Presentations will be made at the following schools.
· E. Benjamin Oliver School on St. Thomas: 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 19
· Alexander Henderson School on St. Croix: 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 21
“We would like to offer our sincere appreciation to those who donate to the Dictionary Fund to enable us to purchase the dictionaries each year as well as to the volunteers who offer their generous support of time to assist with the distribution of the dictionaries throughout the islands for the eight consecutive year”, said Gretta Moorhead, founding donor of the Dictionary Fund. “Teachers look forward to receiving these helpful tools each year and emphasize to us that it is truly an asset for the students with all their subjects. A note received from one of the students stated: ‘Now I can do my homework with it. My sisters and I love the dictionary’.”
Gretta Moorhead, a former English teacher in the St. Thomas public schools, established the Dictionary Project Fund in 2002 as a permanent fund at the CFVI. The original goal of the fund was to distribute dictionaries annually to every third grade student in the Virgin Islands’ public schools. This goal has been surpassed, and dictionaries are now given to all non-public third graders also. Third grade was identified as an ideal time to capture and focus a child’s excitement and curiosity about words and language. Children at this age have the reading maturity to use a dictionary as a learning tool; they are becoming independent learners.
Currently there are over 90 named funds at CFVI providing scholarships, grants and supporting programs in the U.S.V.I. CFVI produces the annual KIDS COUNT report on the status of children and families in the territory. Individuals or businesses wishing to know more about CFVI or interested in establishing a fund should call 774-6031.Visit the Web site: www.cfvi.net
