There's no doubt that Dolly Parton knows how to light up a stage; however, she's also spent a number of decades trying to bring a spark to children's education.
Through programs such as the Buddy Program and the Imagination Library, the American singer is sharing her passion for giving kids a better chance in life across the states and further in the UK, Australia, Canada and Ireland.
Among other charity efforts, Parton was inspired to introduce the Buddy Program after seeing the alarming dropout rate in her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee, in 1990. That year 34% of schoolkids dropped out of high school—a decision they reached around fifth or sixth grade. The figures were so shocking that Parton decided to inspire kids with her new program. So, in the same year, she invited the fifth and sixth graders to her amusement park, Dollywood. She gathered the pupils and asked them to pair up with a friend as part of a motivating buddy system. If both children went on to graduate, she said she would offer them both a $500 check as a reward. That year the percentage of kids abandoning their education dropped to an unbelievable 6%, and continues to be around that rate today.
It was after the success of the Buddy Program that Parton wanted to address the issue of early education even further. To help give kids from disadvantaged backgrounds a better chance at school, the singer started her Imagination Library in 1995. Over the following 25 years the program has seen babies and toddlers enjoy new books every month thanks to her generosity.
And the singer shows no sign of stopping. In 2020, she donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University to try and help research in the fight against COVID-19.
