The final stop of my four-day swing through San Diego was Curie Elementary School. I used to live in the University City area of San Diego before moving to Sacramento, so I felt like I was going home. I was particularly gratified to see that the EDUCATE Foundation that I helped found when I lived in University City has grown exponentially and gives thousands of dollars to the five schools in the area.
During the morning hours, I spoke with six small groups of students from the fourth and fifth grades in a "close encounter with the author" format. Using
Jingle the Brass and
Nugget on the Flight Deck to illustrate several points, I spoke about my idea phase, research, revision, illustrations and working with my editors. I also answered the students' questions about writing. One piece of advice I offered students: Put your stories/reports in a safe place for a week or two to let your brain rest and recharge. After the rest period, read your story with a new eye and you will immediately see places it can be improved.
After lunch, I spoke to an assembly of third graders in the auditorium. We had a great time reading
Nugget on the Flight Deck (my first school visit reading!). Students helped me demonstrate aspects of flying; solved head-math problems (did you know the 18,000 meals served on a carrier
each day will feed one third grader three meals a day, every day until he's 26 years old?); and learned how to spell our names using the aviator's alphabet (Ryan = Romeo Yankee Alpha November).
Bravo zulu! Curie students are spooled up now!
Rita Murphy was eleven years old and on the cusp of puberty when she climbed an apple tree in an orchard in upstate New York. “It was early October,” she says, recalling a family apple-picking outing. “We were there a long time and it was cooling off. The sun was setting. I had this amazing feeling of everything being connected…The apple tree. Everybody. Everything. It was sort of a gift at that time before things began to change physically.” More...
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