{"id":10326,"date":"2022-02-18T12:38:06","date_gmt":"2022-02-18T17:38:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=10326"},"modified":"2022-03-23T17:10:21","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T21:10:21","slug":"vbcps-teachers-create-a-superhero-who-fights-negativity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/vbcps-teachers-create-a-superhero-who-fights-negativity\/","title":{"rendered":"VBCPS teachers create a superhero who fights negativity"},"content":{"rendered":"

-by S. Woodward<\/em><\/p>\n

Gina (Giordano) Byrne has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. The gifted resource teacher at Providence Elementary School says getting a book published has been something she\u2019s dreamed about since childhood. In May, her first book will be released.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/a>\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve been walking on air. I tell my students that this is something I\u2019ve always wanted to do, and now I\u2019ve done it. So dreams really can come true!\u201d<\/p>\n

Byrne recalls waking up in the middle of the night about three years ago. She had an idea about the power of positivity in a negative world. That story has become Yet<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Fifth grader Cali Carr got a preview of Yet<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about a superhero named Yet,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho tries to save the world from negativity,\u201d adds third grader Claire Connolly, whose mother read the book to her.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/a>
Cali Carr and Claire Connolly recommend Yet<\/strong> to their friends<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That negativity is centered in Negatropolis, and perpetuated by Naysayers and the Not siblings, Can Not and Will Not.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes it’s hard to not be a Not, because we all have those days when we’re negative,\u201d says Byrne. \u201cBut we have to remember and listen to our inner Yet: \u2018I haven’t done it\u2026yet.\u2019”<\/p>\n

Cali could relate to what Yet was up against in Negatroplis.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe sometimes are the negative kids because we’re always \u2018why can’t we do this\u2019 when my mom makes it clear we’re not doing this,\u201d she says. \u201cI’ve started to help my siblings stop doing that when she’s saying \u2018sorry we’re not doing this today.\u2019”<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pictures are really pretty,\u201d Claire adds.<\/p>\n

The illustrations are the work of another VBCPS educator, Molly Loch, an art teacher at Virginia Beach Middle School and Green Run Collegiate. Loch credits her daughter with helping her envision the superhero Yet.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Example of Molly Loch’s original illustrations for Yet<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cShe was the target age of the book,\u201d Loch explains, \u201cso I had her help me design a character that could engage kids\u2019 visual interest. The rest of the characters were also developed to represent a diverse group of people.\u00a0 I want everyone to see themselves represented in Yet<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Megan Bilger, a fourth grade teacher at Providence, read the book to her class and feels that it\u2019s a great example of an effective social and emotion learning tool for students.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/a>
Megan Bilger with one of her favorite parts of Yet<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cMistakes are the way of learning. We need to learn from our mistakes,\u201d she says. \u201cThis is showing a superhero coming into their lives when they need to hear that it’s OK to make mistakes, and it’s OK not to get it the first time and be perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet<\/em> is appropriate for those aged 4 to 104, Byrne says, and she promises that there\u2019s a little sarcasm and humor in there for the adults, although she\u2019s surprised by how many of the children are catching the jokes. She\u2019s also thrilled with how her students have embraced Yet\u2019<\/em>s message, especially one of her third grade classes.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything they say has \u2018yet\u2019 in it,\u201d she says. \u201cThey will find a way to weave that word into it, no matter what. It’s almost like a game to them.”<\/p>\n

Even though she thought of Yet<\/em> before COVID-19 hit, Byrne believes the story is relevant now more than ever. \u201cThere’s been so much negativity in the world lately,\u201d she says. \u201cThe message that this book gives out kind of gives everybody hope. Everything will be OK. We just have to have the right mindset.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/a>
Author Gina Giordano Byrne with her first published book<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yet<\/em> is available for preorder through Mascot Books and will be available via other booksellers in early May.<\/p>\n

Meantime, a sequel is already in the works. But, Byrne smiles, “I haven’t started to flesh it out…yet.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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