Schools

Local Rotary Club Gives Gift of Literacy

Community service group pays visit to area third graders bearing presents.

You've likely heard the common assumption that kids nowadays aren't excited by books. That's hogwash if third graders at Rockaway Meadow School are to be believed. As part of its 10 years and counting commitment to literacy and youth, the Parsippany Rotary Club presented each third grader with a dictionary of his or her very own. 

"Our club has given out between 5,000 and 6,000 books in the 10 years we've been doing it," said Rotary Club District Governor Maurie Mader, adding that the entire international Rotary organization has distributed 16,863,285 dictionaries over the decade. "It's amazing how this program's grown."

Even more amazing: The joy on the children's faces as they excitedly flipped through pages and read out new words they found interesting.

Find out what's happening in Parsippanywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I will use this dictionary forever!" exclaimed RMS third-grader Jason Briant.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here