Path To The Stars

Path To The Stars

Juvenile biography
"I've come a long way since those nights standing out side in
our yard under a blanket of brilliant stars. When I was in elementary
school most girls I knew wanted to grow up to raise a family and keep
house. Few of them planned on going to college and finding a job that
they loved. If they pictured themselves earning a living, it was
never as a mechanic or an engineer or a scientist, jobs they--and
everyone else we knew--considered to be men's work."
Sylvia Acevedo, author of Path To The Stars, was one of the few
to conquer that unchartered territory. It was not an easy journey.
She grew up in a traditional Hispanic American family.
"In our culture, sons were valued over daughters. My father
loved me, but he had different expectations for Mario and me. Papa
expected me to get good grades, but it was never with the same
interest that he took in my brother. Papa never asked me what I
wanted to be when I grew up the way Mami did. I knew he expected me
to get married, have children, and keep house, just like Mami. He
even said so sometimes."
Basically Sylvia was in charge of forging her own path. But she
didn't have to go it alone. When a classmate invited her to join a
local Brownie troop she found the structure and order, the sense of
belonging she had been yearning for. As she flew up through Girl
Scouts and Cadets she gained the skills she would need to achieve
goals such as saving college tuition.
These days schools and colleges are trying to figure out how to
get more girls and women into STEM fields, particularly those from
traditionally underserved minorities. But the fire has to be kindled
well before high school graduation. Putting Path To The Stars and
other inspiring books in elementary school libraries and encouraging
girls to read and discuss them could be a step in the right direction.
On a purrrsonal note, a little over a week ago I had a real epiphany.
Basically I figured out my path to the stars. I was making chicken
parm subs at work when it just came to me. I plan to go to school
part time and work in dining until I get my masters, doing really well
grade wise and doing projects that will make me stand out. I will
parlay my degree into a job in some branch of student affairs at
UMaine. Then I plan to use the tuition benefits to start working on
my Ph.D. in the same department. Dr. Jules Hathaway has a nice ring
to it. I've told my daughters so far and they haven't told me I'm
crazy.
A great big shout out goes out to my academic advisor who seems to
like the prospect of working with me for a long time.
jules hathaway


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