Washougal — More than 5,000 dictionaries will be given to students at 58 Clark County schools, thanks to the Rotary Club’s Gift for Words Project, created to promote literacy. Clark County Rotary clubs and other partners raised $9,000 to buy the books. The Camas-Washougal Rotary Club kicked off its part of the campaign on Nov. 30 at Gause Elementary School, 1100 34th St., Washougal. When all done, they will have delivered nearly 700 copies of the 524-page “A Student’s Dictionary” to all third-graders in Camas and Washougal. After passing out the books to Gause students last month, the kids were encouraged to try and pronounce the dictionary’s longest word, an unspeakable medical term with 1,909 characters. Third graders are targeted by the national campaign because that age is considered a significant year in a child’s language development.
“This project is of great significance in the lives of these students,” said Superintendent of Camas Public Schools Mike Nerland in a press release.
