
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Presque Isle Rotary Club’s annual Thesaurus Day is making a difference in the lives of local grade 3 students, continuing a tradition that began in September 2006. This year, about 175 thesauruses were distributed to students at Zippel, Mapleton, Easton and Ashland schools, thanks to the dedication of the club’s Youth & Literacy Committee along with 18 volunteers.
The program has grown steadily over the years, now reaching between 150 and 200 grade 3 students annually. Since its inception, more than 3,000 thesauruses have been distributed, with approximately 200 volunteer hours dedicated to this impactful initiative. Rotary volunteers visit classrooms to distribute the books, which students get to keep as their own. During the visits, Rotarians share the mission of Rotary and its commitment to community service. They engage students in conversations about the value of a thesaurus, demonstrating how to use it to enhance their writing skills. Students then practice looking up words and exploring new vocabulary with their teacher and peers, making the experience interactive and educational.
The program’s roots trace back to a simple question posed by the Rotary Club to local teachers, “What do your students need?” Inspired by Rotary’s Dictionary Project, the club conducted research and found that while dictionaries were useful, thesauruses would better support teachers’ goals of improving student writing. The initiative was born from this collaboration and has become a cornerstone of the club’s literacy efforts each year.

Thesaurus Day is just one of many literacy-focused initiatives implemented annually by the Presque Isle Rotary Club. Additional efforts include support for Easton’s Great Maine Book Tournament, participation in the Literacy Tea hosted by Neighborhood Books, and the Rotary Reads to ME program in Presque Isle grade 1 classrooms. Together, these projects reflect Rotary’s commitment to empowering young minds and fostering a love for reading and learning.
This program’s success highlights the power of collaboration between Rotary, educators, and the community. By providing students with the tools they need to excel, the Rotary Club is helping to shape the future of its community, one word at a time.
For more information about the Rotary Club’s literacy programs or to get involved, please contact Jordyn Madore, committee chair, by emailing rotaryclubpresqueisle@gmail.com or contact Rotary through Facebook.