My First Author Visit

Date: February 27, 2013
School: Benbrook Elementary in Houston, TX

 

 

There are many words that can describe experiencing my first author visit, but the one word that comes to mind is...REWARDING!  Knowing that all my hard work from writing my children's book, to finding an illustrator who got my vision, to creating my own publishing company and lastly, seeing the final product presented to your targeted audience is exhilarating.  Seeing all the smiling faces of the kids and their excitement during the presentation is very inspiring. What I enjoyed the most was after the presentation concluded, many of the kids came up to me, hugged me and told me that they loved the book. Even though the book is geared for girls, the boys were even telling me they loved the book.

I am a firm believer in that everything happens for a reason, with the divine intervention of God of course! Today, that was reaffirmed by my first author visit. For the first time in my life, I feel like this is the career I was meant to have. Although I've enjoyed my past job experiences, nothing can compare to what I felt today. Some of the puzzle pieces of my life are beginning to fit into place.

Puzzle Piece #1 – In 2003, I wrote a short essay titled, "Sharon - Future Psychologist," for a scholarship. Interestingly enough, my short essay was published in; get this...Authors of Tomorrow!

Puzzle Piece #2 –I had my daughter in 2005, then the next one and so on and so forth, all the way to number 4! I was meant to create strong and independent future leaders!

Puzzle Piece #3 – Upon completion of my Master’s degree (and a year’s worth of job searches), I landed a job as a Program Coordinator in the Education Office at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). My job consisted of recruiting minority high school and college students going into Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields for paid technical internships. I also had the opportunity to manage the Pre-Service Teacher Institute program, which allowed pre-service teachers throughout the nation an opportunity to come to JSC for a week long workshop, where they learned to incorporate NASA approved Math and Science curriculum into their future classrooms, along with the use of different technologies. I also had the pleasure of planning and supporting NASA’s presence at the Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology Conference (HESTEC), down in Edinburg, TX, on the University of Texas – Pan American campus for two years in a row.

Puzzle Piece #4 – While working at NASA JSC, I also taught General Psychology, as an adjunct professor at San Jacinto College.

There are many more puzzle piece that fit into the larger picture, but at this time, these are the pieces that stand out the most. I believe each of these components is God’s way of saying, “Hey Sharon, you keep doing your thing, but I have a better plan in mind for you.” My short essay, in a way, foreshadowed what I would do in the future. At the time, it was a means to help pay for college but little did I realize that this publication would mean more to me in the future.

My job at JSC allowed me to connect with many of the women who will be showcased on this blog. I also connected with four cohorts of pre-service teachers, many of them now in their own classrooms. Possible author visits? Yes, I do believe so!

As an adjunct, I had to prepare my lecture materials, tests/assessments, grade assignments, report metrics and present lecture materials to the students. This allowed me to firm up my organization skills and perfect my public speaking skills, which is still a learning process. I believe this was a way for me to get over my stage fright and become comfortable speaking in front of crowds, both big and small.  Don’t get me wrong, I still get nervous at the beginning, but it's taking me less and less time to get comfortable and start being my true self.

It's all about bring it all back full circle and if all these are signs that I was meant to do what I did today, then I’m glad I’m on the path that was destined for me. I have always loved children, but knew I wasn’t cut out to be an elementary school teacher; therefore, being an author and visiting schools is the best of both worlds. I get to interact with the children in a fun and enjoyable environment, and best of all, I don’t have to test them over the material. Frankly, it’s a win-win situation for everyone. =)

My life's mantra comes from Mahatma Gandhi. "Be the change you wish to see in the world."