Newsletter
Rylee Black
Farr West, UT
Accounting/Economics
Creativity Engagement Track
Be Brave, Be Strong
Last summer, I decided to write and illustrate a children’s book. As an accounting/economics major, I wanted to use the EDGE project as a chance to be creative. Drawing and reading had always been hobbies of mine, so a children’s book seemed to be the perfect fit. I started brainstorming ideas and chose to write about facing fears. My parents always taught me to be brave and strong and I wanted to share that with others.
It took a few months of writing to finally come up with the story I wanted. I spent many hours on my couch brainstorming the characters and different childhood fears. It served as a great reflection of the person I have grown to be. Once the story came to life, drawing the characters was easy. I felt I knew each of them intimately. I was very proud of the final product.
The inspiration for the story was my own childhood. I was too scared to do the things I wanted. I thought my world would end if something went wrong. Over the years I learned that this was not the case. The “what ifs” I was so worried about were not as scary as I thought. I wanted to help other children learn this lesson earlier than I did, so that they could enjoy more of their childhood.
As I worked on my book, I found that procrastination and distractions were my greatest enemies. I would start working, when other things would quickly catch my attention. Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime were not my friends. As I look back I wished I had kept to the schedule I outlined in the 2nd EDGE class. If I had kept to it, I would not have been rushing to finish it before I graduated. I would recommend finishing the project earlier than planned to avoid cramming at the end.
My mom was a huge motivator through my project. She helped me brainstorm and edit my story. I feel we wrote the book together. Through the project my mom shared with me how much the storyline touched her. She was trying to be brave and confront her biggest fears. She also shared it with the rest of my family, who were also touched by the message.
My journey through EDGE helped me see how much I have grown as a person. I may have been a scared little kid, but I don’t need to be anymore. This time of life is full of new and thrilling adventures that could be missed if fears control everything. By writing a simple story about facing fears, I was able to overcome many of my own. I now look forward to the future with hope and excitement.
