News
North Dakota's First Lady to speak at Holwell about literacy
Scott Wagar
11/22/2011
North Dakota First Lady, Betsy Dalrymple, will be coming to Bottineau to speak on the importance of literacy in local communities through her initiative program, Imagination Library.
The reading program was established in 1996 by singer Dolly Parton for the children of her hometown of Sevier County.
“Dolly wanted to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families. She wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. Moreover, she could insure that every child would have books, regardless of their family’s income,” stated Imagination Library’s website. “So she decided to mail a brand new, age appropriate book each month to every child under five in Sevier County. With the arrival of every child’s first book, the classic “The Little Engine That Could ™,” every child could now experience the joy of finding their very own book in their mail box. These moments continued each month until the child turns five — and in their very last month in the program they receive “Look Out Kindergarten Here I Come.”
With success of the program in Sevier County, The Dollywood Foundation began considering taking it to other communities.
“Dolly thought long and hard about it and decided her foundation should develop a way for other communities to participate. The foundation asked a blue ribbon panel of experts to select just the right books and secured Penguin Group USA to be the exclusive publisher for the Imagination Library. Moreover a database was built to keep track of the information,” stated imaginationlibrary.com. “Consequently, in March of 2000 she stood at the podium of The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. and revealed the plan for other communities to provide the Imagination Library to their children. And, as only Dolly can say it, she wanted to “put her money where her mouth is – and with such a big mouth that’s a pretty large sum of money.” Parton provide the books herself to the children of Branson, Mo., and Myrtle Beach, S.C., communities where her business now operates.”
Today, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom have the Imagination Library program, which gives hundreds of thousands of pre-school children books to read and the opportunity to decrease their illiteracy rates in their countries.
Mary Grosgebauer, social science teacher at Bottineau High School, feels the Imagination Reading project is an important educational tool, so much so, she personally invited First Lady Dalrymple to Bottineau to speak on her initiative program.
“I first learned of Imagination Library, an exciting program for children ages’ birth to five years, at a teachers convention this October, and I feel strongly about its implementation and hope you will also. I am asking that you consider this project as a wonderful opportunity to provide positive incentive to the children in Bottineau County,” imaginationlibrary.com said. “First Lady Betsy Dalrymple is involved with the initiative known as Imagination Library. I am inviting you to attend an informational meeting presented by Betsy to learn how Bottineau can begin providing this exciting opportunity to children in order to spur growth in our county literacy rates thus providing a student with a greater chance of success in the future.”
First Lady Dalrymple will be presenting her Imagination Library symposium on Dec. 13, at the Holwell Auditorium starting at 1 p.m. The event is free to attend.
For more information on the Imagination Library program, go to www.imaginationlibrary.com/usa/howworks.php.