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Wlaf1450Long-time literacy advocate Nelsie Wooden honored
By Charlotte Underwood
JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- On Monday, Campbell County Commissioners recognized two Valley View Elementary School students with literacy proclamations for being chosen as literacy ambassadors by the Governor’s Literacy Foundation.
Long-time literacy advocate Nelsie Wooden was also honored with a proclamation for her work in promoting literacy around the county through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
Commissioners recognized both the 2024 and 2025 Governor’s Literacy Foundation Ambassadors.
County Mayor Jack Lynch said it was an honor to recognize these students for their achievements and that because the county didn’t want to leave anyone out, felt it only fair to recognize last year’s student as well.
“The Governor’s Literacy Foundation chooses only 10 students a year throughout the state to recognize for reading accomplishments and for two years in a row, Valley View has had students that got that recognition,” Lynch said.
Madelion Tsukas was recognized as the 2024 ambassador, while Avacyn Clark was recognized as the 2025 ambassador.
Annually the Governor’s Literacy Foundation selects 10 third grade students from across the state to serve as literacy ambassadors. “Candidates are chosen based on four key values, tenaciously driven, eager to read, noticeably growing and non-stop learning.”
The County Mayor read a proclamation in honor of each young lady, and told them the “Campbell County School Administration, Valley View Principals, Faculty, Staff and fellow classmates are so proud of their reading accomplishments.”
First District Commissioners Dewayne Gibson, David Adkins, and Zach Marlow each congratulated the students.
“In today’s era when everything is done on your phone or on an iPad, it is really extraordinary for these young ladies to pick up a book and read and continue the literacy rates, because literacy rates are very important, that carries with us all the way through life, so congratulations from me and all the other commissioners, it’s a real big accomplishment,” commissioner Adkins said.
CHET’s Nelsie Wooden recognized
Nelsie Wooden, with Community Health of East Tennessee (CHET), was also honored with a proclamation at Monday’s Committee Meeting. CHET is responsible for administering the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program in the county. The honor and recognition came as a total surprise to Wooden.
“Nelsie, you have done a great job with the Imagination Library in Campbell County and all the things you do with that,” Lynch said.
Wooden has been employed with CHET for 27 years, during which time she has been involved with the development and implementation of the Imagination Library in Campbell County. Nelsie cares deeply about children’s well-being and goes above and beyond any job description there is by overseeing the Imagination Library, and whereas Nelsie is a long-time advocate for books and reading and ensuring that books and learning opportunities are made available to children at a young age,” Lynch read.
Monday, April 21st, 2025, was named Nelsie Wooden “Love to read day” in Campbell County.
“I do love to read, I often ask people who taught you to love to read because it brings back good memories for every person to remember that grandmother, grandfather, a mother, a father, someone who held you on their lap and read to you and gave that inspiration to keep on reading and I would just challenge you to keep on reading, you’ll always discover something new,” Wooden said. She thanked Mayor Lynch and commissioners for the recognition. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-04/22/2025-6AM)