Governor and First Lady Visit Scales Elementary

Governor and First Lady read to students in support of the Books from Birth Foundation

NASHVILLE – Governor and Mrs. Haslam visited a classroom at Scales Elementary School in Brentwood on Wednesday. The First Couple visited the school in support of the Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation in partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

The Imagination Library program promotes school readiness and a love of learning by offering free, age-appropriate books mailed directly to a child’s home once a month, from birth until age five. The Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation was established in 2004 and currently serves Imagination Library organizers in all 95 counties by providing fund-raising, public relations and other support.

“Instilling a joy for reading is an important part of our effort to improve education across Tennessee,” Gov. Haslam said. “If we can get more children reading and more parents reading to their children then Tennessee’s future will be even brighter.”

Research indicates that children who are read to on a regular basis show greater language comprehension, larger vocabularies and higher cognitive skill than their peers. Mrs. Haslam also promoted her Read20 initiative, which encourages parents to read with their children for at least 20 minutes a day.

“Books from Birth and Imagination Library are key programs to provide children with books and resources families need to support early learning,” said Mrs. Haslam. “Read20 takes the message a step further, to encourage families to use their Imagination Library books to create positive experiences in reading from the very beginning of a child’s life.”

To register for Imagination Library or to learn more about the Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation, please visit http://www.governorsfoundation.org/enroll.php.