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Word of the Day: Lexicon (CRC)


Your Words Are Your Power

Every leader, every changemaker, every young man who steps confidently into his future carries one essential tool: his words.

Welcome to Day 7 of CRC's Word of the Day series: and today, we're wrapping up our first week with a word that holds all the others together. A word that represents the foundation of communication, expression, and identity itself.

Today's word? Lexicon.

If you've been following along this week, you've added erudition, acumen, sagacity, efficacy, reciprocity, and magnanimity to your vocabulary. Now it's time to name the collection itself: the word-bank that makes you you.

📖 The Word: LEXICON

Pronunciation: LEK-si-kon

Part of Speech: Noun

Quick Meaning: Your personal vocabulary: the collection of words you know and use to express yourself.

Think of your lexicon as your toolbox. A carpenter can't build a house with just a hammer. He needs saws, levels, drills, and measuring tape. The same goes for communication. The more words you have in your lexicon, the more precisely you can express your thoughts, defend your ideas, and connect with others.

Your lexicon isn't just about sounding smart: it's about being understood. It's about having the right word at the right moment. It's about power.

Young Person Reading in Barbershop

💬 Use It in a Sentence (CRC-Style)

"Building your lexicon every day: even just one new word: gives you the confidence to speak up in any room you walk into."

Here's the truth: vocabulary is one of the strongest predictors of academic success. But beyond school, a rich lexicon helps young men navigate job interviews, lead conversations, resolve conflicts, and advocate for themselves and their communities.

When a young person can name what they feel, describe what they need, and articulate what they dream: that's transformation. That's what we're building at The Competitive Readers Coalition.

🧠 Why This Word Matters for Our Sons

Let's keep it real for a second.

Too often, boys and young men: especially Black and Brown boys: are told to be quiet, to shrink, to stay in their lane. But words are how we expand. Words are how we claim space. Words are how we lead.

A strong lexicon does three powerful things:

1. It Builds Confidence

When you know the right word, you don't hesitate. You speak with certainty. That confidence shows: in classrooms, in interviews, in everyday conversations.

2. It Creates Connection

Words help us understand each other. The more words your son knows, the better he can relate to people from all walks of life: and the better they can relate to him.

3. It Opens Doors

From college essays to career opportunities, vocabulary matters. A young man who can write and speak with precision stands out. Period.

At CRC, we don't just teach kids to read: we teach them that reading builds their lexicon, and their lexicon builds their future.

Community Literacy Event

🏠 Try It at Home (60-Second Family Challenge)

Here's a quick, fun way to practice building your family's lexicon together:

The Dinner Table Word Drop

Tonight at dinner (or whenever your family gathers), challenge everyone to use three new words they've learned recently: in conversation.

Rules:

  • Each person picks three words (from school, a book, this blog series, anywhere).

  • Use each word naturally in a sentence during the meal.

  • If someone uses a word no one else knows, they explain it: and everyone else tries to use it before dinner ends.

Bonus round: Write down all the new words on a sticky note and put it on the fridge. By the end of the month, you'll have a family lexicon wall.

This isn't homework. It's culture. It's how readers are made.

🔗 The CRC Connection: Words Across All 8 Programs

Here's what makes lexicon special in our Word of the Day series: it connects to everything we do at The Competitive Readers Coalition.

Every single one of our 8 programs is designed to build vocabulary, communication skills, and the confidence that comes with them.

The Dads Treasure Chest

When fathers read with their sons, they're not just bonding: they're building lexicons together. Every story introduces new words, new ideas, new ways of seeing the world. That shared language becomes part of the family's identity.

The Library Barbershop Studio Model

In barbershops and trusted community spaces, young people encounter books they might never pick up on their own. Each one adds to their lexicon. Each conversation with a barber or mentor reinforces that words matter.

9-Week Summer Camp

Our summer programming immerses young readers in literacy experiences that expand vocabulary through storytelling, journaling, and creative expression. By the end of camp, participants walk away with hundreds of new words: and the confidence to use them.

From the Barbershop to the Boardroom

This program takes lexicon-building to the next level. We prepare young men to communicate in professional settings: interviews, presentations, networking events. A strong vocabulary isn't optional in the boardroom. It's required.

Youth Workforce Development and Training

As we equip the next generation of leaders, we emphasize the language of professionalism. Resumes, cover letters, workplace communication: all of it depends on a robust lexicon.

Financial Literacy and Homeownership Program (Partner: LMCU)

Even financial empowerment starts with words. Terms like equity, interest, mortgage, and investment can feel intimidating: until they're part of your lexicon. Then they become tools for building generational wealth.

Our Fatherhood Initiative

Strong fathers model strong communication. Through this program, dads learn how to talk with their children about emotions, goals, and challenges: expanding everyone's lexicon in the process.

Barber-Preneur Program

Entrepreneurs need to pitch, negotiate, and lead. The barbers we train don't just cut hair: they become community leaders who speak with purpose and clarity.

CRC Community Outreach Event

📚 Week 1 Recap: Your New Lexicon

Congratulations: you made it through Week 1 of CRC's Word of the Day series!

Here's what you've added to your lexicon this week:

Day

Word

Meaning

1

Erudition

Deep knowledge gained through learning

2

Acumen

Sharp judgment; the ability to make smart choices

3

Sagacity

Wisdom built from experience

4

Efficacy

The power to produce results

5

Reciprocity

Mutual support: give and receive

6

Magnanimity

Big-hearted leadership, especially when it's hard

7

Lexicon

Your personal vocabulary

Seven words. Seven building blocks. One stronger foundation for every conversation your family will have from here on out.

🎨 Meet Mini-Antonio

You might have noticed a familiar face popping up in our Word of the Day graphics this week: Professor Antonio (CRC), our Mini-Antonio character.

Today, he's rocking the CRC polo, representing the community-first energy that drives everything we do. Whether he's in a suit, a barber cape, or CRC gear, Professor Antonio reminds us that vocabulary-building happens everywhere: at home, in the shop, in the classroom, and beyond.

Keep an eye out for him as the series continues. New words are coming.

Youth Literacy Community Event

🚀 What's Next?

Week 1 is just the beginning.

Every week, we'll drop a new Word of the Day: each one carefully chosen to reinforce CRC's identity-centered programming and support the young readers, families, and communities we serve.

Want to make sure you never miss a word? Bookmark our blog, follow us on social media, and share these posts with the families in your life who are building readers, one word at a time.

📣 Your Lexicon Starts Here

Words aren't just sounds. They're power. They're identity. They're the keys that unlock every door your son will ever stand in front of.

At The Competitive Readers Coalition, we believe every child deserves a rich, vibrant lexicon: and the confidence to use it.

Ready to build yours?

Explore CRC's programs and resources at crcbooks.org

The Competitive Readers Coalition (CRC) brings literacy experiences into barbershops and trusted community spaces across Pinellas County and beyond. Through identity-centered programming, we empower boys and young men to see themselves as readers, leaders, and changemakers.

This post is part of CRC's Word of the Day series: daily micro-blogs designed to expand vocabulary, spark family conversations, and reinforce the power of words.

 
 
 

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