By Barry Villamil, President-Elect, Rotary Club of Pearlridge
The Rotary Club of Pearlridge (RCOP) made their final Dictionary 5000, Good Citizen Award presentation of the 2023-2024 school year on Friday, June 7, 2024, at St. Elizabeth School in Aiea, Hawaii. Good Citizen Awards were presented to thirty-one outstanding third graders from fifteen public and private schools in Aiea and Pearl City during their end of school year awards assemblies. One boy and one girl from each school received a Good Citizen Award congratulatory letter and a $50.00 check from RCOP presenters.
In the beginning of the school year, Rotary Club of Pearlridge community volunteers presented eight-hundred free dictionaries to third graders and their teachers in each of the fifteen schools as a part of the club’s annual Dictionary 5000, Good Citizen Awards Program. The RCOP purchases and donates the free dictionaries as a part of the club’s annual efforts and goals set to support and enhance literacy and learning in both Aiea and Pearl City elementary schools.
Rotary Club of Pearlridge kick-off Good Citizen Awards presentations at Pearl City and Aiea elementary schools
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The RCOP is blessed and honored for the opportunity to expand the Dictionary 5000, Good Citizen Awards Program in 2023-2024 by welcoming three new schools from Aiea and Pearl City:
Aiea Elementary, Waimalu Elementary, Our Lady of Good Counsel
This past school year has been the most productive and inspiring Dictionary 5000, Good Citizen Awards Program with our unique partnership and bond between participating schools and RCOP membership that has grown by reaching more students and their teachers via the “Gift of Words” with each donated dictionary presented. It was also extremely rewarding to hear from a few of our RCOP Pearl City High School Interact Club graduating Senior members who said that they still use the dictionaries they received from the RCOP when they were third graders. It continued to serve as a great resource through high school. Immensely proud moment for us all.
I would like to extend a special mahalo to all our Dictionary 5000 schools who whole heartedly welcomed RCOP presenters to their schools. Also, mahalo to fellow RCOP Dictionary 5000, Good Citizen Awards Program presenters who volunteered their time to hand deliver the free dictionaries and present each Good Citizen Award:
2023-2024 Dictionary 5000 Schools:
Kanoelani Elementary, Lehua Elementary, Manana Elementary, Momilani Elementary, Palisades Elementary, Pearl City Elementary, Pearl City Highlands Elementary, Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Waiau Elementary, Aiea Elementary, Alvah Scott Elementary, Cross Academy School, Pearl Ridge Elementary, St. Elizabeth School, Waimalu Elementary
2023-2024 Dictionary 5000 RCOP Presenters:
Dick Mosko, RCOP President, presenter
Emily Kuraoka – Dictionary 5000, Good Citizen Awards Program Chairperson, presenter
Grant Kuraoka – Dictionary 5000, Good Citizen Awards Perogram, coordinator, presenter
Rick Lau – RCOP Board member, presenter
Gordon Arakaki – RCOP Board member, presenter
Ralph Portmore – RCOP Board member, presenter
Robyn Kalahiki – RCOP Board member, presenter
Mahalo to Emily Kuraoka and Grant Kuraoka for all their hard work in ordering and bringing in the dictionaries, preparing the dictionaries to be presented at each school, coordinating delivery and presentation dates at each school, scheduling RCOP presenters, preparing Good Citizen Awards, coordinating presentations dates at each school, scheduling RCOP Good Citizen Awards presenters, and served as dictionary and Good Citizen Awards presenters. Fantastic job once again for taking the lead and making the RCOP Dictionary 5000 Program a huge success in 2023-2024.
Also, mahalo to our Rotary Club of Pearlridge membership for their annual generosity and support of the Dictionary 5000, Good Citizen Awards Program.
It’s always a wonderful and satisfying feeling to see the excitement and happy smiles as the third graders receive their brand-new dictionaries from RCOP Dictionary 5000 presenters. They are so proud to open the cover and pen their names that officially makes it their very own dictionary and begin to explore a new reference resource to the “Gift of Words” and advanced literacy with each turn of the page.
Service Above Self
Cover photo: Emily Kuraoka, RCOP Dictionary 5000 Chairperson with RCOP Good Citizen Award Winners at Pearl Ridge Elementary School on Wednesday, May 27, 2024.
Pictured: Dick Mosko, RCOP President with RCOP Good Citizen Award winners at Alvah Scott Elementary School.
Pictured: Dick Mosko, RCOP President with RCOP Good Citizen Award winners at St. Elizabeth School
Pictured: Gordon Arakaki, RCOP Board member (L) with RCOP Good Citizen Award winners at Pearl City Elementary School. Pearl City Elementary School Principal James Suster (R).
Pictured: Rick Lau, RCOP Board member with RCOP Good Citizen Award winners at Lehua Elementary School’
Pictured: RCOP Good Citizen Award winners from Kanoelani Elementary School
Pictured: Ralph Portmore, RCOP Board member with RCOP Good Citizen Award winners at Manana Elementary School.
Pictured: Dick Mosko, RCOP President with RCOP Good Citizen Award winners at Pearl City Highlands Elementary School.
Pictured: Barry Villamil, RCOP President-Elect and Dick Mosko, RCOP President with RCOP Good Citizen Award winners at Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Pearl City. OLGC 3rd Grade teacher Melody Anzai pictured far left.
Pictured: Dick Mosko, RCOP President with RCOP Good Citizen Award winners at Aiea Elementary School.
