How Dolly Parton Helped Cut High School Dropout Rates from 30% to 6%

 In 1991, recognizing a crisis in education in her home county, Dolly Parton launched the "Buddy Program," a pioneering initiative through The Dollywood Foundation designed to dramatically reduce high school dropout rates in Sevier County. At that time, more than 30% of students were failing to graduate from high school. Research identified the crucial middle school years as the point when many students decided whether or not they would complete their education.

Dolly called all seventh- and eighth-grade students to a special assembly at Dollywood's Celebrity Theatre, where she asked each of them to choose a "Buddy" with whom they would pledge to support one another in staying in school. If either student did not have a buddy, Dolly promised to provide one. The condition was simple: both buddies had to graduate from high school. Those who did so received $500 each from Dolly Parton personally.

The results were extraordinary. Within just a few years, dropout rates plummeted from more than 30% to about 6%, a dramatic and lasting improvement that has remained one of Dolly's most celebrated contributions to her hometown. More importantly, the program inspired a culture of accountability and encouragement, demonstrating how peer support, community involvement, and meaningful incentives can transform lives.

Though launched more than three decades ago, the Buddy Program remains a powerful example of how targeted local initiatives can change entire communities. It laid the groundwork for further efforts by The Dollywood Foundation, including the world-renowned Imagination Library, which provides free books to children from birth to age five. From scholarships to literacy programs, Dolly Parton's vision continues to prove that investing in education is one of the most effective ways to break cycles of poverty and open doors of opportunity.

"Pick a Buddy," Dolly told those students back in 1991, "and if you both make it to graduation, I'll see that each of you gets something from me." For thousands of young people in Sevier County, that promise became not just a financial incentive but a lifelong reminder that none of us succeeds alone.

For more information about Dolly Parton's educational initiatives, visit dollyparton.com.

 

 

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