A collaboration between Newton Education Foundation, Oxford College of Emory University, Newton County Schools, and Little Shop of Stories, brought two nationally acclaimed authors to Newton County.
On Friday, October 3, 6th grade students from Cousins Middle School and Liberty Middle School, came to the beautiful Oxford at Emory campus. Students heard from Derrick Barnes about his journey from student to successful author and received a free copy of his latest book as a gift from the Newton Education Foundation. The day included a tour of campus and a chance to eat in the campus dining hall.
On Monday, October 6, Ninth grade students from Newton High School and Alcovy High School had a visit with Tiffany Jackson and received a copy of her latest book, The Scammer, courtesy of the foundation. Those students also met with admissions staff to learn about what it takes to gain admission to the college.
The support of the NCS Media and Instructional Support team was critical in making this happen. Here is what the Director of that department, Jennifer Williams, had to say about the events, “Oh, my goodness. Both authors were amazing! The students really enjoed having this opportunity. Having authors they can relate to and who shared their story and writing process was eye opening and transformational. Several students told me this was the highlight of their year and all of the students were excited to get signed books”.
Author Bio: Derrick Barnes is a National Book Award Finalist for his graphic novel Victory. Stand!-Raising My Fist For Justice, which also won the YALSA Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Award, and a Coretta Scott King Award Author Honor. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed, multi-award-winning picture book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut which received a Newbery Honor, a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award, and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers. In 2020, he became the only author to win the Kirkus Prize twice for the New York Times bestseller, I Am Every Good Thing, which also won a Charlotte Huck Award and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor. Derrick is also the creator of the New York Times bestselling companion picture books, The King of Kindergarten and The Queen of Kindergarten. He is a native of Kansas City, MO, but currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his enchanting wife, Dr. Tinka Barnes, and their four sons, the Mighty Barnes Brothers.
Author Bio: Tiffany D. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Allegedly, Monday’s Not Coming, Let Me Hear a Rhyme, Grown, White Smoke, and The Weight of Blood and coauthor of Blackout and Whiteout. A Walter Dean Myers Honor Book and Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe New Talent Award winner, she received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University, earned her master of arts in media studies from the New School, and has over a decade of TV and film experience. The Brooklyn native is splitting her time between the South and the borough she loves.You can visit her at writeinbk.com.
These visits are made possible by donations from community members. Please consider supporting us with a donation at www.newtoneducationfoundation.org/donate.