Service (sur vis) n. 1. an act of giving assistance or advantage to another. 2. work done or duty performed for another or through good works.

A buzz hummed through the designated Y-Learning trailer after school at Adams Elementary Feb. 20. Students from Adams and Briarcliff elementary schools tried to concentrate on homework, but the partially opened boxes, festive posters and Cary Rotary Club members standing nearby made it difficult.

When it seemed something might happen, all eyes flew to Candace Bishop, the YMCA senior youth director, as she invited everyone to come forward to get a new book. Students clamored to claim one of the burgundy “Webster’s Dictionaries” or yellow “Best Dictionaries for Students.”

The Mary Kamm Dictionary Project is a Rotary Club effort that will provide 1,000 dictionaries to children in area YMCA programs who may not have dictionaries in their homes. Y-Learning, an after-school tutoring program, is one of the groups that will benefit from the project.

“It’s great to be able to make a difference in the community,” said Mary Kamm, a Rotarian and committed YMCA volunteer.

When all of the children held their own new dictionaries, Rotary Club members, Y-Learning counselors and YMCA staff helped students participate in a dictionary challenge. After looking up “good,” “curious” and “recess” and receiving colorful pencils as prizes, a plea of “Can we do one more?” echoed through the room.

But it was homework time. While pulling out worksheets on fractions and Beverly Cleary’s “The Mouse and the Motorcycle,” a curious student asked what Rotary Club is.

Smiling, Tim Mannix, past district governor of the Cary Rotary Club, stepped forward.

“See this map right here on the wall?” Mannix said, pointing. “The Rotary Club is in over 170 countries all over the world. Why don’t we look up the word ‘service.’ Did you find it?”

One student read the definition out loud: “We believe that you should help other people rather than always thinking about yourself. We want to give something back.”

As the students eagerly paged through their new books, Bishop said, “It’s great to see them having fun while learning. That’s what the Y is all about.”

And then it was time to put the dictionaries away. For a little while, at least.