Students Publish Books!

CPS STUDENTS PUBLISH BILINGUAL BOOKS
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Kate Sweetland-Lambird ‘10, Rebecca Brown '10, Sneha Shrestha ’10 and Jackie Powell ’09 are all authors of bi-lingual books that give voice to children around the world. Sweetland–Lambird and Brown published their books, A Collection of Voices, and La Quinua; Mi Pasado, Mi Futuro: My Quinoa Grows; It is My Past; It is my Future, while participating in the experiences focused on community development. Sweetland-Lambird was a James Heston Summer Intern through the CPS and Brown, a former Heston Intern was studying abroad in Bolivia. Powell and Shrestha published their bilingual book My Happiness, as they implemented their project through a Kathryn W. Davis Project for Peace grant in Nepal.

“I have a dream that I will help Mexico and every village will be clean”

“Writing liberates, empowers and sets one free. It was with this idea that I began preparing the writing workshop for the summer 2009. Drawn to the idea that I wanted these children to be able to express themselves, I decided upon a writing section within the summer program.”Sweetland- Lambird’s A Collection of Voices began during the El Centro afterschool program for the underserved and impoverished youth in the Gettysburg Area. A Collection of Voices is a compilation of poetry and writing that the children at The Center/El Centro produced during their summer writing workshop. The book asks children to think about their future in the “When I Grow Up” section, to speak freely without fear of being right or wrong in “Poetry”, and to find inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King in the “I Have a Dream” section.

Sweetland-Lambird, a Spanish and Latin-American Studies double major, wanted the children of the Adams County area to see not only how powerful their own writing was but also for others to hear their stories, to read their journeys, and enhance their perspective. She plans to send copies of the books to politicians and policy makers so that they too can hear the voices of “children living in need.” For Sweetland-Lambird, the book has little to do with her. “Its more of their book, it is something that I loved doing -- it was a lot of work but it was fun to see it come together, but finding a way to capture their insight was really worthwhile, rewarding, and inspiring.”

“Cuando los nubes negras se juntan encima de la Montana Cora Cora, yo se que la lluvia esta por venir.”

“I have struggled to understand how I can give back to the communities that have had such a major impact on making me the person I am today,” writes Brown in end of her bi-lingual book, “La Quinua; Mi Pasado, Mi Futuro : My Quinoa Grows; It is My Past; It is my Future.” Brown completed the book as an Independent Study project while studying abroad in Bolivia. She was encouraged to write the book by her professor, Heidi Baer-Postigo. Baer-Postigo is the creator of the “Bilingual Children’s Literature Reciprocity Project,” a book series that contributes to the production of affordable books for Bolivian children and raises international awareness about their rich cultures. Brown’s book is about quinoa, a Bolivian grain that is becoming increasingly popular in the United States health food market, and its significance to Bolivian children. In the book, a grandfather explains to his grandson how to grow quinoa the way his ancestors did. They compare the new more technologically advanced way, to the more traditional way of growing the grain. The grandfather emphasizes the importance of tradition in hopes that his grandson will appreciate the time-honored method despite the new modern tactics of development.

Originally, Brown was unsure of the direction for her book. However, once finding her topic, she wrote the story, printed, and had it published in only ten days. Brown, a globalization and studio art double major, said “drawing pictures was my favorite part.” She drew inspiration for the illustrations from photographs she took around Bolivia. Brown understands that in many ways pictures are just as important as the words because when children look at books, “pictures are the first things they see.” Brown published the book in hopes that the children can have a better understanding of their culture; where the grain comes from and how to identify with it. She also wants the children to be proud that they have a story written specifically about them. “I wanted a story that was educational and fun and that children could relate too, I thought it was important to be bilingual so that it was good for the U.S and in Bolivia because it connects the ideas of globalization and understanding different cultures.”

“I like drawing pictures. I can create new things when I draw and this makes me happy.”

“We think that encouraging children to think about happiness provides a little bit of relief from the difficult times ongoing in Nepal,” says Powell’s and Shrestha in the preface of My Happiness. My Happiness was created after a weeklong writing and art workshop as part of the reading and reflection project funded by Kathryn Davis Foundation’s Project for Peace. The three part project included implementing a sustainable library at Pancha Kanya Secondary School, creating and carrying out an intensive six day book writing workshop with forty-one sixth grade students from the school and writing, illustrating, and publishing two culturally sensitive children’s books entitled searching for a “New Clean Home” and “My Job.” Powell and Shrestha are happy that they created a diverse book filled with happiness that provides inspiration for the children, but will hopefully help others find their inspiration also.

“It’s about the Children”

Powell, Sweetland-Lambird, Shrestha and Brown want people to remember that the children come first and foremost in each of their respective books - without their input and hard work none of this would be possible. Through these projects, these women wanted to give voices to those, specifically children, in need, so that they can speak not only for themselves but for all those in their position – giving established voices to children who would otherwise struggle to be heard.

Written by Lawrese Brown '10