How To Grow Up Like Me
How To Grow Up Like Me
Proceeds from book sales go to a Ballou HS scholarship fund and to empower new authors.
"Your Story Is Your Strength." This is the mantra that emerged from a six-month writing project at Ballou High School in Washington, DC, in which eleven dedicated freshmen and six determined seniors told their stories of ambition and struggle in what came to be known as The Ballou Story Project. Together their poignant, powerful voices come together to tell a collective story of How To Grow Up Like Me, a kind of instruction manual for determination, grit, and daily acts of hope and courage.
ISBN: 978-0692309568
Age: 12+
Lexile: 770L
Page Count: 88
Published: 2014
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Meet the Authors
As young students of color at Frank W. Ballou High School in Southeast D.C., Ballou authors wanted to combat dangerous single stories told by outsiders about their community and ensure their own voices were heard. Through the Ballou Story Project, SMP teaching artists coach Ballou juniors and seniors to write their memoirs, which are then published by Shout Mouse and/or used by students in their college applications. Their voices highlight the dedication, perseverance, heart, and joy of their community, and their books are used as platforms for change. Through Author Talks, book donations, and book sales, the voices of Ballou Story Project authors have reached students and educators across the region and country. Proceeds from Ballou titles support new authors and fund scholarships for Ballou graduates.
Recognition & Impact
