Schools across Wilson County took time to honor Dolly Parton this week, with students and faculty wearing pink and rhinestones and one teacher at Gladeville Elementary School remembering a time her class received a special message from Parton three years ago.
One of Parton’s major contributions to education was her Imagination Library program, where children can receive free books from birth until they begin school, typically around 5 years old. When GES kindergarten teacher Jennifer Conatser asked students in her class if they received books through the program, many said they did.
“[Parton’s] dad was never taught how to read, and so that’s why she started Imagination Library,” Conatser said. “When we started talking about it, all the kids were like I have that book, I have that book, I love Dolly’s books.”
Conatser’s 2023 kindergarten class did a “virtual field trip” to the Smoky Mountains, and one of the student’s family had ties to Parton. So as an introduction to the field trip, Parton made a custom video for that class.
“My team and I, when we found out, we were just devastated,” Conatser said about Parton’s death. “She is a legend, I compare her to Elvis Presley. We were heartbroken, we were sad. How do you honor someone that is so wonderful like her who’s done so much for the kids in the United States.”
Several Wilson County schools, including Springdale, Stoner Creek, West, Mt. Juliet, LaGuardo and Central Pike Elementary Schools held a “Dolly Day” at one point this week, where students and staff wore pink, rhinestone and cowboy boots to remember Parton. The school district will be uploading photos of participants to its Facebook page.
“As so many remember the great works of Dolly Parton, we can all take away one very important thing: Be kind to one another,” WCS Public Information Officer Bart Barker said. “Dolly, we will always love you.”