The Rotary Early Learning Partnership, was established in fall 2021 by the Manhattan Rotary Club of Manhattan, Kansas, in cooperation with partners throughout a multi-county region of northeastern Kansas. The roots of this club’s interest in childhood education is not new.
They talked with potential partners, including early-childhood professionals, other school officials, the director of the local United Way, and librarians. Their partnership ultimately included community officials, extension personnel, and members of other Rotary clubs, in addition to these early partners – a total of more than 100 individuals. They now work in three areas: expanding the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to four additional counties, supporting Public Library Early Reading Programs and expanding the Dusty Bookshelf Certificate program to Families with Early Learners. They received a donation of 7,200 Disney Books, which were to be distributed at no cost.
They have increased the number of families enrolled in DPIL from 200 to 1800. Local librarians distributed Disney books to their patrons in support of their summer reading programs. Through their partnership they hosted a conference on "Stimulating Stupendous Storytimes" for librarians throughout the 12-county region, including all the counties in the Rotary Early Learning Partnership. In cooperation with the Dusty Bookshelf Used Book Program, the Club provided 175 certificates ($10 each) to families to purchase books for children 0 to 5.
Through this year-long commitment and the many components, the Club has established education and literacy as a signature cause documented in their newly created strategic plan and formalized the commitment by establishing the Education, Books and Literacy Grants Committee. Design and implementation of the project has been a collective effort with shared responsibilities, involving primarily members of the Manhattan Rotary Club, but also members of the Manhattan Konza Rotary Club and its new satellite club. Communication with other Rotarians in District 5710 through the monthly online newsletter and representation at the district conference has raised widespread awareness in our part of Kansas of basic education and literacy issues.