The Valedictorian

The Valedictorian consists of five short stories about the lives of specific teenagers. The stories are set in the states of Massachusetts and Maine; and are geared to empower teenagers to take control of their lives in difficult and hopeless situations.

THE VALEDICTORIAN
Amber, a model student in a parochial high school in Maine becomes pregnant, but has not told a soul; and fortunately for her there are no physical signs to give her pregnancy away. And graduation is a few months away. Then, how did the Mother Superior find out that she is pregnant? She braced herself for the ramifications.

THE FLIGHT
Janine and Tanya are childhood friends and are the same age. However, Janine resents the fact that Tanya is constantly telling her what to do, and treating her as if she is older and wiser. Ultimately, Janine discovers that Tanya's protective and annoying behavior virtually saved her life one day.

THE TRANSFORMATION
Stephanie is treated like an outcast by the kids in school. She is ostracized simply because she comes from a poor family and cannot afford to wear designer outfits like most of the other kids. She is openly laughed at because of the old and unflattering clothes she wears; and no makeup. Francine sees the cruelty in the way Stephanie is treated, and takes her on as a friend. Ultimately, Francine decides to do something to change the discriminatory attitude of the rest of the kids in the school.

UNSCHOOLED
Esther, a despondent teenage girl, encounters an older woman, Gwen, at the beach in Revere, Massachusetts. She descends on the beach with a repugnant attitude because of her problem, but her encounter with Gwen brings about a reversal of that attitude.

NOT IN MY HOUSE
Now with a degree in engineering, and an impressive position as the personnel manager of a prestigious firm, Josh is in the process of interviewing applicants to fill some vacant slots in the maintenance department. He recognizes one of the applicants as Thomas Hartley, who was the lead bully in his high school several years back. At the end of the day, as Josh drives home, he is flooded with memories of the culture of the school at the time he and Thomas were there. It was a culture that he kept out of his home.

Dr. Maya was born and raised in Nigeria, and has traveled the world extensively. Before her full time position at North Shore, she was an adjunct English Instructor at Community colleges in the Boston area. She was also employed by the Boston Public Schools for many years as a substitute teacher; an (ESL) English as a Second Language instructor in the Adult Education Program; and also as an (EDP) External Diploma Program Advisor.