In an age where students often turn to technology for answers, the Rotary Club of Naples is giving third graders a more traditional tool—dictionaries.
Each year, the Rotary Club partners with Collier County Public Schools to distribute nearly 4,000 dictionaries to third grade students across the district. On Tuesday, eight students at Naples Park Elementary were the first in the county to receive theirs.
CCPS Superintendent Dr. Leslie Ricciardelli says the goal is to encourage curiosity and exploration through books.
"You know, those dictionaries never lose charge like an electronic device," Ricciardelli said. "And kids at this age are so inquisitive that once they start looking at words, then they find another word."
Duncan Cameron, with the Rotary Club of Naples, says the dictionaries will serve students throughout their academic careers.
"Sometimes computers are not available for every student," Cameron said. "A dictionary is theirs to keep and will help them forever."
As for the future of books, even Siri acknowledges that while technology may change how we read, physical books still have a place in the world.
"Technology cannot entirely replace books, but there will be a significant reduction in physical books in the world" Siri responded when asked about the future of books.
For the Rotary Club, that’s what this initiative is all about—giving students a resource they can always rely on, no Wi-Fi or charger required.
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