KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Dolly Parton has another award to put on her shelf, after helping put books on the shelves of children across the world.
She was named the 2022 Friend of Education by the National Education Association on Tuesday. Dolly Parton helped found the Imagination Library, which routinely sends books to children across the world until they are 5 years old.
The nonprofit helps improve literacy during childhood, teaching young children the fundamentals of reading before advancing to bigger books. It sends books to families regardless of their income levels. Starting in 1995 in Sevier County, it grew into an international mission delivering books in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Republic of Ireland.
The nonprofit delivered its 150 millionth book in 2020 after it was founded in 1995. A University of Tennessee group also helped create a documentary that showed its development and impact on families across the world.
“Dolly Parton is a national treasure, and America’s educators are proud to bestow NEA’s highest honor, the ‘Friend of Education’ award, upon her,” said Becky Pringle in a release, the NEA president. “In addition to bringing incalculable joy, with a smile like a breath of spring and a soft voice like summer rain, to fans across the world, she has championed literacy, learning and diversity in literature for nearly half a century."
The award recognized a person or organization that made a significant impact to improve public education in the U.S. In a video thanking the NEA, Dolly said she knows how hard educators work to help students succeed.