Ripon Rotary Club members handed out dictionaries to all Ripon Unified School District third graders.
Third grade recipients included Colony Oak Park View, Ripon Elementary, Ripona, and Weston students that club members personally handed the dictionaries Wednesday morning. They told the students they were better for looking up words than on a tablet or computer – no need to carry the heavy electronics with them or having to charge the books or replace batteries.  Also they wouldn’t be delayed by ads that might pop up.
The children appeared ecstatic as they walked to the front of their classroom where they were handed the new books.  Rotarians gave them a few words to look up in the pages and they responded with definite spirit. 
Harleen Kaur, 8, of Colony Oak said she looked up the word “gemstone” because she likes to collect rocks and added that she likes “shiny stuff.”  Bryce Valley, 9, also of Colony Oak said he is happy with his new dictionary “because I don’t have to carry my computer around all the time.”
Colony third grade teacher Tiffany Thomason sat on the “buddy bench” with two of her students during their morning recess as they shared their excitement over the new books they had received earlier in the morning.
Rotary switched from the larger hardback books given in past years to the smaller soft covers saying they felt it would be more convenient for students to put them in their back packs and take them home.

To Contact Glenn Kahl email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.