Members of the Rotary Club of Waynesburg have been visiting third grade classrooms in Greene County sharing a story of helpfulness and cooperation. It is a part of the Rotary International’s commitment to empower communities and help support education in those communities. Rotary programs aim to improve literacy for all ages by collaborating with local schools and providing educational materials.
The Rotary Ideals Program uses the children’s story “Elmer and Andy’s Apple Dumpling Adventure” written by Andrew Shoup outlining the Rotary’s guiding principles -the Four Way Test- to teach young children about ethics. This program has been adopted by many clubs across the U.S., Canada and beyond. The 2025 school year marks the first year that Waynesburg Rotary has participated.
Over 280 third graders at West Greene, Waynesburg Central, Jefferson-Morgan, Carmichaels and Open Door Christian School were treated to the story of how a group of friends completed a project that was beneficial and fair to all along with building good will and better friendships. These are the core standards of the Rotary Four Way Test. Along with the actual reading, Rotary volunteers reinforce literacy skills and good citizen behaviors during the lesson. Each classroom teacher was presented with a copy of the book and classroom poster outlining the Four Way Test. Each student received a matching bookmark.
In addition to our rotary members” building goodwill and making better friendships”, it is our hope to plant the seeds for new generations of Rotarians. If you are interested in becoming a Rotary member, email us at rotaryclubofwbg@gmail.com
