ST. PARIS – Graham Local Schools and its partners will introduce the Read, Imagine, Soar! Literacy Foundation on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

A 9 a.m. Aug. 23 convocation will be open to the public in the Graham Middle School cafeteria.

The Literacy Foundation was formed as a result of the Ohio Department of Education Community Connector grant the school district received with lead partner United Way and with help from Urbana University, Family and Children First Council, the Champaign Chamber, the Economic Development Council, area ministries and the Madison-Champaign ESC. The grant funds cover the cost of the services of the foundation, allowing Graham to maximize its dollars to provide literacy supports to children.

Jennifer Harvey, a Graham graduate, will be the coordinator for the new foundation, whose mission is to provide literacy education and resources to families in the Graham Local Schools.

“The goal is to roll out a program that impacts the Graham schools as a pilot that can be scaled to benefit county families in the future. Jennifer brings a unique set of skills to this role, and she will help support our district staff as we reach out to promote reading and personalize learning for children in the area,” said Graham Superintendent Kirk Koennecke.

“I look forward to introducing this program to the community at large and to using the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to bridge any gaps in early learning,” Harvey said.

A theme, title and logo will be unveiled at the convocation. Also, a timeline for the roll-out of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library resources to children in the area will be announced.

Families will work with the coordinator to register for the program.