I was one of those wierd kids that actually enjoyed school. In fact, I liked being at school more that I liked being at home. Part of that due to the fact that I went to Genesee High School when Principal Dorothy Baker was commander and chief. She LOVED her kids-- all the kids--and this was unmistakable. SHE became my role model.
Once graduated (1976), I quickly married my true love (1978) Don Sawvel, and we eventually welcomed three children into our lives. As soon as they started school, I went back to school--not to college, but as a school volunteer.
I also dabbled in writing, an endeavor that has intrigued me since my earliest memories and something that my high school classmates had to endure as I was regularly pulbished in the school newspaper! And actually, at graduation, I had the good fortune of receiving several writing awards from across the state.
So everything was in place when I moved to Kernersville, North Carolina in 1995 and was asked to write for the local hometown paper--the Kernesville News. Within the first year, the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself. I had the chance to work as an investigative journalist to explore my three passions: children, school, and the solution to the local teenage drug problem.
Amazingly, the original stories won First Place in the North Carolina Press Association Awards. And, the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County awarded me a grant to write a book. That was over 10 years ago and on November 1, 2011 my town unveiled the book at the Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet. The book, UNDER THE INFLUENCE: THE TOWN THAT LISTENED TO ITS KIDS is a true life success story about a small town-- not unlike Genesee--that decided to put its teens in the driver's seat to change negative peer pressure into positive peer influence. (check it out on my website at www.ClassicWritingPR.com)
During this time, I also had the privilege of being one of the founding members of the grassroots non-profit Kernersville Cares for Kids. This is a community based organization that supports young people in their choice to stay free of drugs and underage drinking by giving them a public voice in the media and by providing incentives such as T-shirts, wrist bands, and key chains.
Now, my goal is to get the word out. I need your help to give young people a national voice. One way to do this is to get my book in the hands of as many people as possible, because the book IS the kid's story and it is written in their words. THEY tell us what we can do as adults to help them.
The best news is: Everyone can help. It is ESPECIALLY helpful if we reach out to youth who are not in our family. It means more to them.
The media in North Carolina has been very supportive of the book. It's been on Time Warner Cable 2 and Fox 8 with Bob Buckley. And, its been in the local newspapers and magazines. Now, I'm calling on my Michigan friends and alumni to "pass it forward". THIS story is not over yet. Would you like to be part of the next sequel?
Please feel free to contact me