The Checotah Lions Club recently had Laura Sikes speak to them about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and about the program coming to McIntosh County children from birth to age five. There are an estimated 1,131 children who stand to benefit from the program once it’s started and Sikes stated that another local company has begun the enrollment process.
In the first year the program hopes to have 20 percent enrollment. That enrollment will cost the local affiliation roughly $1.10 per child/ month and the OSDE will match their donation. The program hopes to get a small library into every home with little ones to inspire early reading and for these children to dream and have the tools they need to succeed in life.
The first book the child will be mailed is “The Little Engine That Could” and their last book will be “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!” when they graduate from the program.
Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for the local children within her home county. Her vision was to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month. Together, Dolly and her book gifting organization have received honors and awards for their dedication to enriching the lives of children everywhere.
The Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, Best Practices award from the Library of Congress Literacy Awards and recognition in Reading Psychology are just a few among a long list of the prestigious acknowledgments the program has received.
Today, her program spans five countries and gifts over two million free books each month to children around the world.
According to the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), OK Dept. of Education, Checotah High School with an enrollment of 365 students had a proficiency in reading/ language arts of 15-19 percent (which is lower than the Oklahoma state average of 26 percent) for the 2020-2021 school year.
Stay tuned and read your local newspaper for upcoming information on when enrollment will begin later this fall.
