School Visits!
This year I've started speaking at schools around New England and sharing my story with students. Sometimes, I admit I get PRETTY NERVOUS before a school visit. But once I'm on stage, and I see the faces of all those students, I feel a connection. And then I just start talking.
Still, it's not always clear what kind of impact I may or may not have made. So when I saw this letter written by the Principal of Hartford Memorial Middle School, where I spoke last Friday, my heart pretty much melted.
PRINCIPAL’S CORNER:
“Do I dare disturb the universe?” That was the message from today’s visiting author, Jo Knowles, to HMMS students. In one of the most powerful visiting author presentations that I have been to (I cried), Jo Knowles shared with us the stories behind some of her books--from the death of her own brother which inspired See You at Harry’s, to a one time interaction with a classmate of hers who had a baby in high school that eventually led her to write Jumping Off Swings. Knowles shared with us that for her, writing is how she makes a difference: “I disturb the universe by writing books that shed light on the dark parts of it, hoping to help readers feel less alone.”
She closed the presentation with an important message about how each of us can change the world for the better through our actions, big and small: “Everyone in this room has lots of power [...] you all have the capacity to do something much bigger. There are things you can do [to disturb the universe], so start now.” It was the perfect message as we head into next week’s Kindness Week at the middle school--all of us have the power to disturb the universe and in doing so, make it a better place. We can start now.
Thank you, Hartford Memorial Middle School, for letting me share my story with you. I know every single one of you is going to cause a ripple, and then... a big, beautiful, glorious disturbance that changes someone's life for the better!
Love,
Jo
Young writers practicing writing dialogue
The auditorium filling up
One of the many doors decorated at the school (they had a door decorating contest!), with my wonderful guides posing! :)
Still, it's not always clear what kind of impact I may or may not have made. So when I saw this letter written by the Principal of Hartford Memorial Middle School, where I spoke last Friday, my heart pretty much melted.
PRINCIPAL’S CORNER:
“Do I dare disturb the universe?” That was the message from today’s visiting author, Jo Knowles, to HMMS students. In one of the most powerful visiting author presentations that I have been to (I cried), Jo Knowles shared with us the stories behind some of her books--from the death of her own brother which inspired See You at Harry’s, to a one time interaction with a classmate of hers who had a baby in high school that eventually led her to write Jumping Off Swings. Knowles shared with us that for her, writing is how she makes a difference: “I disturb the universe by writing books that shed light on the dark parts of it, hoping to help readers feel less alone.”
She closed the presentation with an important message about how each of us can change the world for the better through our actions, big and small: “Everyone in this room has lots of power [...] you all have the capacity to do something much bigger. There are things you can do [to disturb the universe], so start now.” It was the perfect message as we head into next week’s Kindness Week at the middle school--all of us have the power to disturb the universe and in doing so, make it a better place. We can start now.
Thank you, Hartford Memorial Middle School, for letting me share my story with you. I know every single one of you is going to cause a ripple, and then... a big, beautiful, glorious disturbance that changes someone's life for the better!
Love,
Jo
Young writers practicing writing dialogue
The auditorium filling up
One of the many doors decorated at the school (they had a door decorating contest!), with my wonderful guides posing! :)