Horace Mann School and The Dictionary Project: Difference between pages
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{{Infobox Non-profit
| Non-profit_name = The Dictionary Project
| Non-profit_logo = [[Image:TDP_logo.jpg|200px]]<br /><small>Logo of The Dictionary Project</small>
| Non-profit_type = [[501(c)(3)]] [[charitable organization]]
| founded_date = [[May]] [[1995]]
| ___location = [[Charleston, South Carolina]], [[USA]]
| key_people = Mary French, Director<br />Arno French, President<br />Gregg Meyers, Board Member<br />Barbara Massey, Board Member
| area_served = All 50 [[Unites States]], [[Puerto Rico]], the US [[Virgin Islands]] and several other countries
| focus = [[Education]]
| revenue = $2,815,231 [[USD]] (Year Ending 12/31/06)
| Non-profit_slogan = Learn to Read, Read to Learn
| homepage = [http://www.dictionaryproject.org www.dictionaryproject.org]
}}
'''The Dictionary Project''' is a [[non-profit]] [[charitable organization]] based in [[Charlesotn, South Carolina]], [[United States|USA]], and was founded by Mary French in [[1995]] to provide personal copies of a [[dictionary]] for third grade students in the [[South Carolina]] [[public school]] system. It has grown into a national organization. To date - [[June]] [[2007]] - over 5.3 million dictionaries have been distributed to children in the [[United States]] and internationally. It is funded through individual donations and by sponsors who introduce the program in their local schools. All contributions are [[tax deductible]]. [[The Dictionary Project]] is registered as a [[501(c)(3)]] [[nonprofit]] [[association]] in all 50 [[United States]].
== Organization Goals ==
The purpose of The Dictionary Project is to provide [[dictionaries]] to students to keep to use as their own personal reference books. The project believes that a dictionary is an essential tool for a quality education and that a student cannot do his or her best work without one. A dictionary in the home serves as a resource for the whole family. It improves everyone’s [[vocabulary]] and it encourages children to learn more words. This organization seeks to provide dictionaries to all of the children who are in [[school]]. The program is typically implemented in the third grade each year.
== Organization History And Growth ==
The idea for [[The Dictionary Project]] began in [[1992]] when Annie Plummer of [[Savannah, Georgia]] gave 50 dictionaries to children who attended a school close to her home. In her lifetime she raised the money to buy 17,000 dictionaries for children in [[Savannah, Georgia]]. Annie Plummer died [[December 23]], [[1999]], but her dream did not die with her. She inspired the creation of [[The Dictionary Project]], a nonprofit organization.
[[The Dictionary Project]] was created in [[1995]] as a [[501(c)(3)]] [[nonprofit]] organization based in [[Charleston, South Carolina.]] Its original goal was to provide dictionaries to third graders in the public schools in the three [[counties]] surrounding [[Charleston]], and this was accomplished in the 1995-96 [[school year]] and every year since. In 2001 the project was expanded to cover the third graders in all of [[South Carolina]]’s [[public schools]].
The project grew tremendously after it was featured in an article on the front page of [[''The Wall Street Journal'']] on [[March 4]], [[2002]] <ref name="Wall Street Journal Article">
{{cite news
|title=Insider Editing at Wikipedia
|url=http://www.dictionaryproject.org/wallstreetjournal.html
|publisher=[[Wall Street Journal]]
|date=March 4, 2002</ref> This coverage brought national attention to the project and its founders, Mary and Arno French. As a result, individuals and groups from across the United States became involved with [[The Dictionary Project]] and sponsored the donation of dictionaries to children in their local schools.
The project continues to expand and now includes sponsors in all fifty [[United States]], [[Puerto Rico]], the [[US Virgin Islands]], and several other countries. The program has been adopted by [[civic organization]] and adapted to local communities through the sponsorship of [[Rotary Clubs]], [[BPO Elks]], [[Kiwanis Clubs]], [[Granges]], [[TelecomPioneers]] groups, [[Lions Clubs]], the [[Republican Federation of Women]], by educational groups such as [[PTAs]], and by individuals. Anyone can participate in this project by sponsoring a program to provide dictionaries to children in their community.
== Sponsorship ==
Anyone can sponsor a project. Organizations and donors carry out their own [[fund-raising]] activities, and then sponsor the donation of books in the schools or area they choose. The project asks its sponsors to commit time to deliver the dictionaries to the children in person and make a short [[presentation]] that shows them how to use the dictionaries. This brief visit lets the children know that there are people in their community who are interested in their education and want to see them succeed.
== Statistics ==
The project has grown dramatically since its beginning in 1995. Over 5.3 [[million]] books have been donated.
Below are the figures for the number of dictionaries given to children in the past three years.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Growth of [[The Dictionary Project]]
! !! 2004 !! 2005 !! 2006
|-
| Dictionaries Donated || 859,187 || 1,488,150 || 1,939,536
|-
| Growth % || - || 62.7% || 37.9%
|-
| Number of participating organizations || xx || yy || zz
|-
| Growth % || - || 62.7% || 37.9%
|}
== Awards and Recognition ==
[[The Dictionary Project]] and its Director Mary French have been awarded several notable honors, including:
*the NFL/Parade Magazine Community Quarterback Award (2003)
*the Daughters of the American Revolution National Community Service Award (2003)
*the American Red Cross, Carolina Lowcountry Chapter Neighborhood Hero (2002)
*the JC Penney Golden Rule Award (2000)
*invitations to speak at conventions for [[Rotary International]], the [[National Grange]], and the TelecomPioneers.
In addition, sponsors who have implemented the project have been recognized:
*The California Dictionary Project received a [[Silicon Valley]] Impact Grant from the [[Cisco Foundation]].
*Mr. and Mrs. Ormonde and Margaret Smith received the Gold Award from the Texas Association of Partners in Education.
*The Rotary Clubs of Arizona were commended by Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano for their participation in The Dictionary Project.
== Media Coverage ==
The Dictionary Project has been featured by [[ABC News]], [[''The Wall Street Journal'']], [[American Profile]], [[KOTV News]], and [[''The State'', South Carolina newspaper]].
== International Projects ==
In the past year, [[The Dictionary Project]] has been receiving interest from international organizations wishing to expand the program overseas, as well as from US-based organizations who want to contribute to improving the education of school children in foreign and [[developing countries]] through the use of the [[English language]]. They hope to distribute more dictionaries to children outside of the United States in the coming years.
== Form 990 and Tax Forms ==
[[The Dictionary Project]] is a [[501(c)(3)]] [[nonprofit]] organization registered in all 50 states. Its [[Form 990]] and tax records are publicly available and can be obtained through the [http://www.guidestart.com GuideStart] website.
== Links ==
* [http://www.dictionaryproject.org The Dictionary Project] website
{{The Dictionary Project}}
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