Bushwick Success Academy - Brooklyn, NY
I wrote Nadia’s story because I believe that while financial prosperity and education are great drivers to encourage youth to go into the STEM field, it is crucial to provide them with emotional support, validation and exposure opportunities to be successful.
Nadia Goes to the Great Fishing Hole is the first of many projects to be published by The Mirror Project, LLC. We highlight champion stories that prepare students for the challenges that lay ahead, so they question the task not themselves.
PROJECT #1: CHILDREN'S BOOK TITLED 'NADIA GOES TO THE GREAT FISHING HOLE'
NADIA'S STORY ENCOURAGES GIRLS TO NEVER GIVE UP
Nadia’s journey to the great fishing hole symbolizes the obstacles Ja’del overcame and the lessons she learned as a 1st generation college student pursuing a STEM degree.
Due to the low retention rates of minorities and 1st generation college students in STEM, Ja’del’s goal is to focus more on fostering children’s interest and the character to make it in the STEM field rather than the STEM field alone.
Nadia's story can be used by parents, aunts/uncles, or guardians to encourage youth to take on difficult tasks, explore and above all pursue their passions with a healthy curiosity!
Unsurprisingly, these are experiences that help to develop critical thinkers and engaged leaders in the STEM field.
The tale focuses on a sharp 9-year-old girl who’s also from Detroit. Nadia catches wind of a new fishing hole and sets out to explore it. She faces some doubt and scary obstacles along the way – but, ultimately, she forges ahead to learn about an amazing ecosystem of fish she never would have discovered without her curiosity.
THE BOOK DOUBLES AS AN AT-HOME SELF-ESTEEM ACTIVITY
I created a coloring book from the illustration sketches and add multicultural crayons to every coloring book order; giving children the option to imagine themselves as Nadia! Send in your child’s art to feature on our instagram, @nadiagoesto
When I couldn’t read yet and my mom was tired of re-reading my favorite story she would encourage me to tell her a story from the pictures. It fostered my creativity and also gave me permission to tell my own story...
I purposely chose child handwriting font to inspire children to write their own stories in their own words. wanna take it further? Encourage your children to write their own review and send them to us here!
HER JOURNEY TAKES RISK, CONFIDENCE AND ABOVE ALL SUPPORT.