Dyane Smokorowski was named the 14th recipient of the Chasing Rainbows Award. She enjoyed a weekend trip to Dollywood where Dolly herself presented Dyane with the award. Each year, the National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) honors one outstanding educator with this prestigious award. The honoree is someone who "has overcome great obstacles in his or her life, has captured the rainbow and is helping children." This year’s winner serves as the Instructional Technology Coach for Andover Public Schools in Andover, KS. Smokorowski said,
“It is difficult to admit that my personal struggles actually prepared me to be a stronger person today. I wanted to be someone who could inspire others to reach beyond their environments, beyond their extremities, and to do as I have always done—to dream big!”
In 2002, Dolly became the first to receive this award from the NNSTOY. The award celebrated her commitment to fostering a love of reading among children through her Imagination Library. Since then, Dolly has presented the award each year.
Dyane Smokorowski's name will be added, along with past recipients, to the award displayed in the Chasing Rainbows Museum at Dollywood.
For more information on the award and how to nominate an outstanding teacher, visit the NNSTOY website.
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of Dolly's Imagination Library. As part of the celebration, Dolly announced plans to bring back Dollywood's "Showcase of Stars" concert series with all proceeds benefiting the book gifting program with a goal to raise $1 million!
Dolly will kick off the concert series with four shows on August 8 and 9 in an all-new acoustic production, "Pure and Simple." She has called on her best friend and longtime duet partner, Kenny Rogers, to close out the series. More amazing artists will be announced throughout the summer.
Robert Lee Parton, Dolly’s father, inspired her to start the program. In 2014, Dolly talked about her Imagination Library with Southern Living magazine. She commented on her father’s influence and pride in the program. She said,
“And my dad was very proud of me. He got to live long enough to see the Imagination Library do well, so he felt like he had done something good too—that he was the inspiration for it.”
Now known to millions of kids as "The Book Lady," Dolly continues to dream big dreams and as she says equip them with "wings."
Imagination Library Milestones
The program launched in 1995 in Dolly's home country. In 2000, it gained more momentum and supporters began replicating it in other areas. In 2003, the program had mailed 1 million books to children in the United States. By 2004, a statewide partnership was established in Tennessee and that was just the beginning of Dolly’s dreams.
In 2006, the program launched in Canada and in the United Kingdom the following year. By 2010, Imagination Library had mailed 25 million books internationally. Audio and Braille books were added in 2011 and in 2013, the program went Down Under when it launched in Australia. The year 2013 marked another important milestone when the organization mailed over 50 million books.
Today the program continues to forge new partnerships and reach even more children around the world with one message, Dream More, Learn More, Care More, Be More!
At the annual media event, Dolly shared the big announcement of her new website along with more exciting things coming to Dollywood during the park’s 30th season. When the floor was opened up for questions, longtime fan and administrator of Dollymania.net, Duane Gordon asked Dolly about the online countdown that had been counting down for the past several weeks on DollyParton.com. Dolly explained the historical nature of the site and how it brings all her favorite things together. She said,
“It’s kind of like a museum, kind of like a history of my life and music. It’s all about our businesses and my personal stuff.”
In addition to the new DollyParton.com announcement, the event featured new things coming to Dollywood, including the return of a summer concert series to benefit the Imagination Library. The goal is to raise $1 million for the global book gifting organization. Dolly will open the series with four performances on August 8-9. Kenny Rogers will close the series and more artists will be announced at a later date.
Dolly updated fans on her new production company, Dixie Pixie Productions. She said her new NBC movie series will begin with a Christmas movie based on her song, "Coat of Many Colors." The television movie is set to air Christmas of 2015.
The legendary entertainer fielded questions about the opening of Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort set for later this year. The resort will offer more ways for families to enjoy Dollywood and the Great Smoky Mountains.
Several performers from Dollywood’s Festival of Nations were showcased at the event. The GRAMMY award-winning Mariachi Divas opened, followed by the Invaders Steel Orchestra who wowed the crowd with a version of Dolly’s "9 to 5."
LiveStream recording of Dolly Parton's appearance.
Each year, the esteemed Book Selection Committee, a specially selected panel of early childhood literacy experts, is responsible for reviewing hundreds of potential titles for inclusion in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. With the new year’s list curated, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is proud to announce the Australian Book List (Australia), the Gold Medal Book Selections (United Kingdom) and the Blue Ribbon Book Selections (United States & Canada). When asked about this year's selections Dolly said,
“My commitment to kids has always been to deliver the very best books right to their doorstep and last year we put over 9 million books in the hands of children and their families. Of course, none of this would be possible without the contributions of these talented authors, illustrators and the hundreds of local partners who love kids as much as I do.”
Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has become the premiere early childhood book gifting program in the world by mailing over 66 million books in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and the United States. Currently the program mails over 820,000 specially selected, age-appropriate books monthly to registered children from birth to age five.
In 2015, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library will mail over 9.5 million books to hundreds of thousands of children across four countries. Recent studies suggest participation in the Imagination Library program is positively and significantly associated with higher measures of early language and math development.
2015 Australian Book List - Australia
2015 Gold Medal Selection List - United Kingdom
2015 Blue Ribbon Book Selections - United States & Canada
All families who receive the gift of Imagination Library books were also presented with a free download of Dolly’s song "I Believe In You" that she wrote for the Imagination Playhouse at Dollywood.
Eleven additional songs will soon be coming for purchase, with 100 percent of sales supporting the longevity of The Dollywood Foundation.
