My Texas stop on the 50 States Against Bullying campaign was YES Prep East End in Houston. After the taxi dropped me off, I entered through the wrong door and rolled my carry-on bag through a very busy cafeteria.
"Is that him?"
"That's him!"
"It's the author guy."
"Why'd he bring his luggage into the cafeteria?"
When it rippled through the room that I was there, they applauded. Applauded! I felt like a total rockstar! All I had to do was pretend my carry-on was a guitar case and it didn't feel so embarrassing anymore. Although, I suppose a real rockstar wouldn't carry his own guitar case. So I guess I'm just a roadie.
Anyway...
Two students and two mascots greeted me, and the two gentlemen without blue faces gave me a tour of the campus.
In the library, I ate my own yummy lunch while pre-signing some books. There was also a large collection of student-made #ReasonsWhyYouMatter posters that would be posted throughout the school after my visit.
I gave two presentations to very welcoming high school and middle school students, which were followed up by great questions.
This school even shared one of their songs with me! And since the lyrics include a call for rain, I will blast this from loudspeakers when I get back to California.
Thank you, Ms. King, for organizing a very inspiring visit. I hope I inspired your school in some way, too.
4 comments:
Hello my name is Jasmin & I'm a senior at Yes Prep. Thank you for this wonderful experience, this has been eye opening. This book has spoken to me in many ways and has helped me through a rough time. This book is a call for action to our society to not stay silent & speak up about what's really going on and for us to be there for people in tough situations. Thank you for coming!
Hello, I am a junior at YES Prep. Thank you so much for coming and leaving an everlasting mark on the school to be aware of what we say or do. It brought people to realize the stuff they've done or are doing towards each other is wrong. This book has helped me in my own problems. One night I was about to commit suicide during my sophomore year because everything was crashing down and i looked at my book shelf filled with 20 books and looked at the cover of 13 Reasons Why and I kept staring at it trying to remeber what the story was about. I picked it out and started reading it and it came to show that i have dropped hints as well and no one cared but there was someone who did earlier that day. And I decided not to commit suicide, I'd rather continue reading 13 Reasons Why and other books than end my life. You are an amazing person who has brought a light to those who felt they were in the dark. Thank you for everything you do.
I'm so sad that you weren't invited to the west side of Houston where my son was bullied and after showing the head principal the video of my son being beaten nothing happened to the coaches, kids etc except my son had to change schools-I LOVE all your books and having that happen after reading them just broke/breaks my heart and I worry all the time because I've lost the boy he used to be because of it.
This book has both saved and changed my life many times. It has given me hope and shown me that life doesn't have to end. I can relate a lot with Hannah. Also, I created this book a fanbased name "Bakers" because of her last name. I really hope you write more books like "13 Reason's Why"!
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