Imagination Library Ranked #1
Hard work and community involvement have made Hardeman County a star in literacy in Tennessee.
With a donation from Centennial Bank (see above) came the announcement that the county has had success like no other in the state.
Hardeman County Imagination Library currently serves 96% of the county’s age-eligible population, marking the highest county enrollment rate across the state. The program is one of 95 county affiliates of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Tennessee and was recognized by the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, the statewide sustaining partner of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, in April for this enrollment milestone. The program currently mails books to 1,129 birth to age five children in Hardeman County each month and has delivered over 153,000 books since its inception in 2006.
Having books in the home has consistently proven to be a predictor of children’s academic success. Tennessee studies found that Imagination Library participants outperformed non-participants on kindergarten literacy assessments and continued this trend even into second and third grades. Further, higher attendance rates and lower suspension rates were indicated for participating students through the 5th grade.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is made available to all Tennessee children from birth to age five, through a unique, public-private partnership between Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (GELF), Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, and a local affiliate program in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties. With vital financial support from the Tennessee General Assembly, foundations, and corporate sponsors, GELF funds half the cost of Imagination Library books for enrolled children statewide, supporting affiliates in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties as they raise the other half of the cost of books for enrolled children in their county.
“Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation is proud to partner with county Imagination Library affiliates to foster a love of reading in children and build lifelong learners across Tennessee,” said James Pond, GELF President. “We are honored to celebrate the significant impact Hardeman County Imagination Library has made on the community and its top-ranking enrollment percentage, and we are extremely grateful for the dedicated volunteers and local partners who make it happen.”
With over 1,100 books now being mailed to enrolled children in Hardeman County, the monthly shared cost allocated to Hardeman County Imagination Library exceeds $1,200. To volunteer or get involved, contact Monroe Woods, Hardeman County Imagination Library Coordinator, at 731-609-3906 or montenn@aol.com. To donate online, go to https://www.governorsfoundation.org/give. Be sure to specify Hardeman County to designate your donation to the local program. To enroll your child, visit https://www.governorsfoundation.org/enroll.