ST. CLAIRSVILLE — St. Clairsville Elementary second graders were taught the importance of entrepreneurial spirit and community awareness by members of the St. Clairsville Noon Rotary Club on Thursday.

The club’s literacy program taught students the Rotary Four-Way Test through a book involving a young entrepreneur.

Rotarian Tammy Poppee read “Andy and Elmer’s Apple Dumpling Adventure.”

Northern Division Belmont County Court Judge Adam Myser, a fellow Rotarian and coordinator for the event, said that the book was chosen because it illustrates how the four-way test influences decision-making in business and life, and also was written by International Rotary Club member Andrew J. Shoup.

The Rotary Four-Way Test is; first, is it the truth? Second, is it fair to all concerned? Third, will it build goodwill and better friendships? And finally, fourth, will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Myser told the second graders it is important to ask those four questions before making any important decision.

“The book is a wonderful example, where it’s actually about a younger child that goes through the process of starting a business where he makes and sells apple dumplings, and as he’s going through that process, he sees how this four-way test applies to his decision making,” Myser said. “So we have the opportunity to share that with the kids today. The kids kind of get to see it from a different perspective and hear from some other individuals in their community.”

St. Clairsville Elementary second grade teacher Rebecca Terlesky said the program is a great way to have her students see community members in the classrooms so that they can make a connection and see the importance of community.

“We’re one big school, but there’s a greater community outside of it, all supporting what we do within the school,” she said. “How cool is it for these kids to just learn something new and get involved in the Rotary Club and just learn about that kind of work.?”

Terlesky added that her students have been excited about the club members’ program.

“They’re here teaching about the principles of business, along with tying into what we have known as our financial literacy standards and building some of those character traits that we talk about. And it’s just something exciting that we were eager to do, getting the kiddos hearing from different adults throughout our community,” Terlesky said.

Myser added that the Noon Rotary Club always wants to reach kids as much as it can.

“Whether it be for them to have an entrepreneurial aspect or for them to just kind of appreciate and understand what it’s like to be a part of the community,” he said. “Whether that means that they’re a teacher or a businessman or a firefighter, but to have that community feel and that community vibe is a really big part of what we do as Rotarians.”

He added that the club isn’t just business members.

“We’re made up of a variety of different professions and vocations, where we can all come together for the purpose of benefiting our community,” Myser said. “This specific example, I think, is very easy for the kids to relate to, and grasp on to this idea. So it’s a really nice way to maybe get some of them excited about that idea in the future.”

He added that Rotary is an international service organization made up collectively of local clubs.

“We all band together to do giant projects such as eradicate polio, all the way down to a small level, like the literacy project today,” Myser said. “Simply put, it’s a group of individuals, like minded individuals, that really appreciate and honor service and like to serve not only their local community, but maybe their regional, state, national and international community.”