Press Release
March 6, 2024
In honor of “Read Across America Week,” Governor Bill Lee joins Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation and Cheatham County School District at Pleasant View Elementary to celebrate literacy statewide
Nashville, Tenn. – Governor Bill Lee and Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (GELF), whose mission is to strengthen early literacy in Tennessee, joined in the nationwide celebration of “Read Across America Week” today with a special visit to Pleasant View Elementary in Pleasant View, Tenn. Governor Lee expressed his commitment to promoting literacy initiatives and ensuring that every child in Tennessee has access to quality programs and resources through Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation.
“Read Across America Week” is an annual, nationwide celebration, highlighting the joy of reading and the critical role that literacy plays in every child’s life. During the school visit, Governor Lee and GELF President James Pond spent time speaking with teachers and students, touring the Cheatham County Book Bus, and emphasizing the importance of literacy in shaping a child’s future.
“Tennessee students are leading the nation in reading proficiency gains, and I’m proud to join the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation in honor of Read Across America Week,” said Gov. Bill Lee. “The foundation is shaping the future of our youngest learners by equipping them with literacy skills they need to succeed. I thank them for fostering a love of reading and learning in our students.”
GELF is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a nonpartisan 501c3 driven by a mission to strengthen early literacy in Tennessee by partnering to provide programs and initiatives to families statewide, at no cost. With funding from the Tennessee General Assembly, GELF established Tennessee as the first state to offer Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library statewide and the first at-home book delivery program for K-3 students and teachers.
“If you read today, you’re ready tomorrow,” said GELF President James Pond. “Our goal is to promote a culture of reading in Tennessee by meeting students where they are with the books and resources they need to strengthen early literacy. We are excited to join Governor Lee and Tennessee communities during ‘Read Across America Week’ to celebrate 20 years of our literacy mission. It’s more than books. It’s the future of Tennessee.”
Cheatham County participates in several of GELF’s literacy programs, at no cost to schools or families. In 2021, Cheatham County School District launched a STEM Book Bus with funding from GELF. Cheatham County has also sustained their Imagination Library program since 2005, currently mailing books to 1,400 birth to age five children in their county each month, and participates in GELF’s K-3 Home Library program each summer, which mails book packs to teachers and students to combat learning loss and strengthen early literacy in Tennessee.
About GELF
Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (GELF) is a nonpartisan 501c3 that equips Tennessee’s children with books and innovative literacy tools that encourage lifelong learning for a brighter future. Driven by a mission to strengthen early literacy in Tennessee, GELF partners to provide programs across the state, at no cost to families, including Birth-5 Book Delivery through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, K-3 Home Library, Caregiver Engagement, Book Buses, and Storybook Trails. GELF was founded in 2004 by former Gov. Phil Bredesen to sustain Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Tennessee. GELF has grown from solely a book-gifting program to an early literacy organization driven by a vision where all Tennessee children have access to the resources, guidance, and support they need to become lifelong learners. For more information, visit www.GovernorsFoundation.org or www.facebook.com/GovEarlyLiteracyTN.
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