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Top Takeaways is a series of recaps from important conversations, town halls, webinars and virtual events about early learning.

Beloved singer, songwriter, and Dolly Parton endured a hardscrabble upbringing in the mountains of East Tennessee before becoming an international sensation. Her father, Robert Parton, was a sharecropper and construction worker who . In 1995, she founded (DPIL) in his honor. Now, every month, the organization mails more than 2 million high-quality, age-appropriate books to children 0-5.

The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading鈥檚 webinar on Oct. 11 celebrated a milestone in West Virginia early literacy: DPIL now reaches all 55 counties in the state. Only 10 other states can claim this distinction.

Moderated by Malai Amfahr, senior program officer of Constituency Outreach and Engagement, CGLR, the panel featured:

• Kelly Griffith, state coordinator in the Office of Teaching and Learning with West Virginia鈥檚 Department of Education
• Tarabeth Heineman, executive director of the June Harless Center
• Brittany Fike, early and elementary learning specialist at the June Harless Center
• Alicia Syner, program developer for imagination library at the June Harless Center

Here are our takeaways:

1. 鈥淎 home library is a birthright.鈥� Heineman鈥檚 assertion captures the intent of this unique program. Here鈥檚 how it works: When families sign up their children, they receive one free book in the mail every month, starting with a customized version of 鈥淭he Little Engine That Could鈥� personalized with the child鈥檚 name and a message from the singer.

The subscription continues until the child 鈥済raduates鈥� at five years old and receives a Ready for Kindergarten book. A newsletter and book activity sheets support caregiver-child interactions.

Beyond boosting early literacy, has been shown to enhance school readiness, to boost parent engagement and to further life skills. Receiving books in the mail makes them feel especially precious. A mom on the webinar reported, 鈥淲e love getting mail, and we love surprises,鈥� while another stated, 鈥淚t may look like a book, but for our family, it鈥檚 a whole lot more.鈥�

2. It鈥檚 not just any books. Early childhood literacy experts make their selections from the Penguin Random House catalogue. Some are in Spanish or braille, according to readers鈥� requests. According to the 2021 (which focuses on Cuyahoga County, Ohio), 鈥淲hat cannot be overstated is the immense satisfaction respondents experienced when interacting with DPIL books. Whether it was the child鈥檚 enjoyment of the books, or the appreciation for the diversity and uniqueness of the books鈥� characters, or the usefulness of the reading tips that come with DPIL books, the overwhelming majority of respondents found these books to be worthwhile.

Representation matters in children鈥檚 books, Fike maintained, telling a story about a girl who asked, 鈥淎re there other books with little girls who look like me?鈥�

3. Community benefits ensure greater participation. 鈥淲hen schools and communities are well prepared to deliver best practices,鈥� said Griffith, a former first grade teacher, 鈥渋t impacts the students. This helps our students be better prepared for their future,鈥� The partners encourage child care providers to sign up, and outreach extends to food banks, the foster system and even fire departments. Statewide read-aloud events also promote enrollment.

4. Partnerships drive growth. In 2007, DPIL began serving 13 West Virginia counties. The effort could never have reached all 55 counties without , a $47 million partnership of the federal government and 423 counties in 13 states; and and the (ELTAC) at . While the State of West Virginia doesn鈥檛 fund DPIL, it has . Griffith noted that 52% of eligible West Virginia children are currently registered.

5. A mixed funding stream means shared success. State lottery proceeds originally fueled DPIL in West Virginia, but today the costs of the program (approximately $2.10 per child per month) are split between and local support, led by the Harless Center. Heineman promised, 鈥淚f you have Dolly in your corner, it鈥檚 positive from the get-go鈥�

A visit from the singer herself, with a brief performance and a fireside chat, supercharged funding earlier this year and inspired Governor Jim Justice to declare Aug. 9 as Dolly Parton Imagination Library Day. 鈥淲e were all on a Dolly high for a whole month,鈥� said Syner, a megafan who has reportedly shown up at events in Dolly drag.

Philanthropic supporters have included the United Way, hospitals, schools, libraries, banks and civic groups (the Rotary Club, for example) as well as individuals. Advising, 鈥淪tick with the mission and persevere, and you鈥檒l find another funding source,鈥� Syner reminded participants that the number one reason people don鈥檛 give is they aren鈥檛 asked.

ICYMI: Justice declared Aug. 9 as Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Day in WV during 鈥淎n Evening with Dolly!鈥� This was a fantastic way of honoring the impact has made in this state. 馃摎

Learn more 馃憠 .

— West Virginia Department of Education (@WVEducation)

This story originally published on Early Learning Nation and is now archived on The 74. Learn more here.