Country music legend Dolly Parton is in Missouri today to praise the state working, possibly 9 to 5, to reach statewide distribution of her reading program.
Through a cost-share program between the state and Dolly’s foundation, “Imagination Library” provides children up to age five a monthly book free of charge to the children. The program launched in Missouri last November, with a response of more than 20,000 hits the first day that temporarily broke the enrollment website.
State Education Commissioner Karla Eslinger said since the massive interest, Missouri has enrolled more than 137,000 children in “Imagination Library.”
“Once you start that love of literacy, that love of books, I mean, that’s a spark. And that’s something that, you know, the kid then, on their own, wants to go to the library, on their own, wants to continue to learn and through reading. So, the initiative is important, but the outcome that is going to be a result of this, I think, I can’t wait to see the results,” she told Missourinet.
While serving in the legislature, Eslinger sponsored a Senate bill to fully fund the program.
“It’s phenomenal to me, and a testament to what we all can agree on, is that literacy is important. It was passed in the House. It was passed in the Senate,” she said.
Missouri is the 14th state to commit to a statewide Imagination Library program, but is the only one to fully fund the program with the price tag of $11 million.
Dolly Parton launched the program in 1995, with the vision of creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to “dream more, learn more, care more and be more.” “Imagination Library” has gifted more than 250 million free books worldwide since its rollout.
To sign up for the program, visit ImaginationLibrary.com.
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