WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) -- In Western Maryland, an innovative program promotes childhood literacy.

The Community Foundation for Washington County Public Schools has partnered with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to put free books in the hands of young learners.

The target for the program is pre-K students. Parton's nonprofit has already gifted 280 million books to young students in the U.S. and abroad. The goal is to get students into their local public libraries.

"It helps build their vocabulary, it helps build parent-child connections," said Sheila Evers, executive director of the Community Foundation for Washington County Public Schools. "It also puts them on track for kindergarten readiness."

"Reading, as we all know, opens so many worlds and so many opportunities

See Full Page