Brevard Federated Republican Women

Dictionary Project

"“The goal of The Dictionary Project is to ensure that everyone will be able to enjoy the benefits of owning a dictionary.”

The idea for The Dictionary Project began in 1992 with approximately 50 dictionaries to children residing in Savannah, Georgia.  Early on, the project became well-known and fund-raising efforts quickly heightened in order to purchase more dictionaries to benefit more and more schoolchildren.  A 501(c) (3) nonprofit Association was formed in 1995, along with a Board of Directors, and “The Dictionary Project” was born. 

Since 1995, over 19 million children have received dictionaries because thousands of people became aware, of the need, in communities all over the United States.  After The Wall Street Journal published a story about the project in March 2002, The Dictionary Project took on a national purpose and expanded its mission to include students in all 50 United States.  The program is typically implemented in the 3rd grade each year, since this is the age at which dictionary skills are usually taught.  Educators describe third grade as the time when a student transitions from learning to read to reading to learn! 

In addition to the BFRW organization, entities such as the Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions Clubs, Elks and Granges Lodges have implemented The Dictionary Project where the members reside.  Anyone can participate in this worthwhile project, by sponsoring a program, to provide dictionaries to children in their respective communities.  The Dictionary Project sponsors provide dictionaries to children in all 50 States and the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, nine Canadian provinces and more than 15 other countries around the world. 

“The goal of The Dictionary Project is to ensure that everyone will be able to enjoy the benefits of owning a dictionary.”  It is, therefore, quite understandable that the BFRW organization is inspired to assist with the efforts to provide a dictionary to every 3rd grade student in the United States! 

In 1950, the Melbourne Women’s Republican Club was founded.  In 2012, the organization became the Brevard Federated Republican Women [BFRW], dedicated to caring for America, support of our military and veterans as well as staunch supporters of education.  The BFRW raises funds all year long to benefit the programs that are important to the organization. 

During November 2019, the organization provided 328 Dictionaries, “A Student’s Dictionary & Gazetteer, [24th edition],” to four (4) Brevard County Elementary Schools.

The 2020 school year, because of the COVID Virus, BFRW Members could not present Dictionaries, in person; however, 630 [25th Edition] Dictionaries were delivered to eight [8] schools, three [3] in Palm Bay.  A transmittal letter was included in the educators’ Dictionaries to assist them in explaining the information, to the children, as if we were in the classrooms.

The 2021 school year, again, because of the mutations of the COVID Virus, BFRW Members could not present Dictionaries, in person; however, 314 “Webster’s Dictionary for Students,” [Sixth Edition], Special Encyclopedic Edition, [books] were delivered, by October 12, to four [4] Brevard County Elementary, which included Palm Bay, Schools.  A transmittal letter was included in the educators’ Dictionaries to assist them in explaining the book information, to the children, as if we were in the classrooms.

The books are published by The Dictionary Project, Inc. ©2021, located in Charleston, South Carolina.  

 All 50 States of the Union are listed, [page 518] which includes the States’ Capitals, size in square miles and Population. This best-selling Dictionary has been created especially for elementary students. The editors have chosen words that meet the vocabulary needs of children, pages 8-11, which make this handy volume an ideal tool for building reading and vocabulary skills.

There are pages of World Maps, Countries of the World, Declaration of Independence and Important Events in American History, pages 526 through 529.

The United States Branches of Government…Legislative, Executive and Judicial, are found on page 523. Children beginning with ages 8/9 are eager to learn about our Government.

The Dictionary includes the United States Presidents, [page 525] beginning with the first President, George Washington.

The students were informed that the books were theirs to keep.  We found that there are many students who did not own a dictionary; their classroom educators had two to three dictionaries to share with an entire class. The BFRW raised enough funds to provide every 3rd grade teacher with a book, again these three years, which was much appreciated.  Several teachers have a “Dictionary Scavenger Hunt” that explores several questions for the students to answer.  

THE DICTIONARY PROJECT – a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization

The idea for The Dictionary Project began in 1992 with approximately 50 dictionaries to children residing in Savannah, Georgia.  Early on, the project became well-known and fund-raising efforts quickly heightened in order to purchase more dictionaries to benefit more and more schoolchildren.  A 501(c)(3) nonprofit Association was formed in 1995, along with a Board of Directors, and “The Dictionary Project” was born. 

Since 1995, over 20 million children have received dictionaries because thousands of people became aware, of the need, in communities all over the United States.  After The Wall Street Journal published a story about the project in March 2002, The Dictionary Project took on a national purpose and expanded its mission to include students in all 50 United States.  The program is typically implemented in the 3rd grade each year, since this is the age at which dictionary skills are usually taught.  Educators describe third grade as the time when a student transitions from learning to read to reading to learn!

“The bedrock of knowledge is in books and in print.” “Reading makes a country great!” “Literacy is the ability to read and write. It is much more than an educational priority – it is the ultimate investment in the future and the first step towards all the new forms of literacy required in the 21st Century. Irina Bokova, 1952.”

In addition to the BFRW organization, entities such as the Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions Clubs, Elks and Granges Lodges have implemented The Dictionary Project where the members reside.  Anyone can participate in this worthwhile project, by sponsoring a program, to provide dictionaries to children in their respective communities.  The Dictionary Project sponsors provide dictionaries to children in all 50 States and the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, nine Canadian Provinces and more than 15 other countries around the world. 

“The goal of The Dictionary Project is to ensure that everyone will be able to enjoy the benefits of owning a dictionary.”  It is, therefore, quite understandable that the BFRW organization is inspired to assist with the efforts to provide a dictionary to every 3rd grade student in the United States! 

The BFRW has been participating in The Dictionary Project since 2012; during this time, 3,519 Dictionaries have been donated to Brevard County, Florida, Elementary Schools.

(To contact The Dictionary Project: P.O. Box 1845, Charleston, SC 29402. 
Phone:  (843) 856.2706;  email: wordpower@dictionaryproject.org  
Website: HTTPS://www.dictionaryproject.com)