The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is a proud sponsor of Youth programs throughout the United States. Of everything the Elks do, perhaps nothing is more important than their work with the country's youth. Mr. Perkins said, "This Dictionary Project is another way we can help the youth right here in our own community."

The Dictionary Project was founded in 1995 by Mrs. Mary French in Charleston, South Carolina. The sole mission of this program is to distribute dictionaries to as many third-graders as possible. A dictionary is perhaps the first and most powerful reference tool a child should own. Its usefulness goes beyond the spellings, pronounciations, and definitions it lists; it is a companion for solving problems that arise as a child develops his or her reading, writing and creative thinking abilities. A dictionary helps a student to benefit from increased self reliance and resourcefulness inspired by the maxim, "look it up".