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It’s getting to be that time of year again when we give up some play time to scramble to get ready for back-to-school. With all the busy preparations, don’t forget the most important one you can do for your child is to begin a new school year with a strong sence of self and healthy self-esteem. With a child being bullied every 7 minutes today in our schools, this proactive element could never be more essential!

To help you empower your daughter and build her self-esteem, I invite you to join me on a free teleclass I’ve been asked to give by the Global TeleClass Network.  I’m honored to be featured along side such inspirational legends as Mark Victor Hansen, T. Harv Eker, Bob Proctor and many others. Below is a description of my class on August 25 – be sure to sign up early as space is limited! And also check out all the other classes offered – all free for you to enjoy from the comfort of your home.

Stay posted as Heartlight Girls brings you more for back-to-school to be “empowered from the inside out!”

PLEASE take 30 seconds and vote for my show, it’s truly essential that you do for it to get noticed. There are over 7,500 submissions at this point, many who entered early and have been able to gather a ton of votes, so I’ve got lots of catching up to do! The good news is that you can vote MULTIPLE times and it’s really easy to do (no signing up, just voting!) Voting closes July 3, so please, VOTE ASAP and VOTE OFTEN…and ask your friends to vote too (how about inviting your Facebook friends to vote?!) We’ve got to create a buzz for Oprah and her producers to notice, and we all know how important a show Empowering Girls From the Inside Out would be!

And if you (please!) add a comment to your vote, it will create even more of a buzz. Let’s show Oprah and her producers how essential it is to give our youth today, especially our girls, the attention they need and deserve to become the powerful women our world needs tomorrow.

Here’s the link to the video and to vote:    http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&response_id=19866&promo_id=1 

Please vote, it’s urgent, and important. And pass this along to your friends…and ask them to pass it along to their friends…who pass it along to their friends…you get the idea And don’t forget, you can vote numerous times through July 3rd. Thank you SO MUCH for your support!

We are looking for participants to feature in a few videos we are filming which will share the challenges girls face today with self-esteem. This can be your opportunity to help others, and have fun getting some national exposure! On-camera interviews will take place in the Denver area June 17-19. Here’s what we are looking for:

1. Heartlight Girls/Teens - Girls ages 7 & over and teens who are familiar with the “Heartlight” concept (meaning you’ve read Beauty’s Secret: A Girl’s Discovery of Inner Beauty and/or you’ve attended a Heartlight Girls program) and can speak about shining your light bright – as well as how/where you feel challenged sometimes in doing so. Parents of these girls to be interviewed as well if possible.

2. Girls who are experiencing issues, such as bullying, low self-esteem & low self-worth, body image issues, friendship problems, eating disorders, self-injurious behavior, suicide thoughts or attempts, etc. Extreme cases can be filmed with your identity hidden if preferred.

3. Parents concerned with what their daughters & other girls are facing today, i.e. bullying, unhealthy media, negative role models, peer pressure, etc.

4. Elementary/Middle School Counselors, Principals, Teachers – who can speak about the increase, drama, and dangers of bullying and other girl issues in their schools and in schools today

5. Doctors, Psychologists, Therapists – who work with girls/women and can speak about the dangers of low self-esteem

6. Are you a girl, or do you know one, who is doing amazing and powerful things that will inspire others? We’d love to interview and feature you!

If you, or someone you know, fits one of these categories, is in the Denver area, and can film a brief interview, please email me ASAP at debragano@aol.com. Please let me know your name, email, phone number, category you fit into, age (girls/teens only), and the topic or issue you would like to discuss. Also…for the girls/teens/parents segment, please let me know if you are available Saturday, June 19, between 2-5 pm. We will be doing much of this segment during and following the Mile Hi Children’s Festival which takes place from 10-3 pm that day at Mile Hi Church, 9077 W. Alameda Ave. Lakewood, CO 80226. It’s a fun festival so you can come out early and join the activities – I’ll be there autographing and having a great PRE-SALE SPECIAL on my next book, Star’s Attraction: A Girl’s Discovery of Inner Power!

Interviews with school educators, professionals, and girls with difficult issues will be filmed privately, most likely on Thursday, June 17 or Friday, June 18, your location or ours (TBD when setting up interview).

This truly is an exciting project and we’d love to involve you! Please email me soon if you’re interested in participating. And stay posted, I’ll fill you in more on things soon. If you’re not already connecting with me on my Facebook Fan Page, you’ll want to, as info/news/opportunities, etc. get posted on there almost daily! Here’s the link to “Like”:

  www.Facebook.com/HeartlightGirls 

(For Twitter fans: www.Twitter.com/HeartlightGirls)

As you may know, I’m quite passionate about building the self-esteem of young girls, and as a national speaker and the author of the Heartlight Girls series, I’ve always felt the motivation to do so. Yet as I write this today on my daughter’s eighth birthday (Happy Birthday Ella!), it is in my role as a mother that my passion, and compassion, is fueled even more to make a difference in girls’ lives. With much recent news of teen suicides attributed to depression and relational aggression/bullying, my concern for our youth is magnified, as I’m sure it is with many other parents.

Recent statistics show that every 7 minutes a child is bullied, and that 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally, or physically. Bullying causes feelings of rejection, anxiety, and unworthiness in a child; these are some of the same feelings which are the main causes of suicide. The Center for Disease Control reports that the third leading cause of death, behind accidents and homicide, amongst teenagers ages 15 to 24 is suicide.  Even more disturbing is the fact that suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 14. Self-esteem issues and bullying are worse than ever in today’s schools, and unfortunately often beginning as early as first and second grade and magnifying in the upper elementary and middle school years.

It is with these disturbing facts that I ask your assistance. I dealt with my share of bullying while working in the modeling and acting industries, and it was a challenge even as an adult. But to know our children deal with it on a daily basis breaks my heart. So Heartlight Girls is taking a stand against school bullying. In addition to writing the Heartlight Girls series (the next book, Star’s Attraction: A Girl’s Discovery on Inner Beauty, is due out near the holidays!) and developing products, I’m also building a series of expansive self-esteem programs to develop feelings of self-worth in our girls. And I’d really like your help.

I’d love to know your concerns, your needs, and your desires. What would be helpful to you, and what do you feel would be important in a self-esteem program? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts by taking a brief survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LT3Y535. Please pass this link along to others (parents, teachers, girls), for the more input we receive, the better we can create what you would like to see, as well as incorporate what’s needed to help our youth to stay strong, empowered, and in a position to always make wise choices.

By completing this survey, in addition to being a contributor in this important mission, you’ll be entered into a drawing to receive tickets for you and a guest to attend one of the Heartlight Girls Self-Esteem programs! Girls receiving this email can take the survey themselves, share it with a parent, or ideally, have both of you take it! Then we’ll have double the input, and your family will have double the chances of winning!

Again, here’s the link to the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LT3Y535. Thank you for your participation. Your opinion will shape the young girls we work with here at Heartlight Girls!

 Young Authors Premier Book on Earth Day

about Making the World a Better Place

DENVER, CO (April 2010) – Last April, fourth and fifth grade students of the Cherry Creek School District in Denver, CO were invited to participate in a writing and art competition sponsored by the Colorado Independent Publisher Association’s Young Authors League for a book to be published using the theme, “making the world a better place.” Several hundred students participated, and over the course of the year, almost 50 winning authors and artists were selected to be published in the book titled, Making the World a Better Place: Student Stories about Making a Difference. The premier of this book will be launched on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22, at the Southlands Mall Barnes & Noble Store, from 4:00-8:00 PM. Featured young authors and artists will be on hand to autograph books and discuss their individual perspective of making a difference in the world, as well as their experience of being published.

From the recycling efforts of the Fearless Foam Fighters to demonstrating the power of a smile, this is a collection of inspirational stories and art by the students themselves. Proceeds from the sale of this book benefit the CIPA Education and Literacy Foundation, a non-profit 501-C organization dedicated to increasing awareness and excitement for reading and writing in school-age children in Colorado.

Debra Gano, Young Authors League Director and President of the CIPA Education and Literacy Foundation, created the competition last year as a way for students to not only have a opportunity to be published, but also to make children aware that they can play a role in making a difference in the world. “It’s important for kids today to know that every little contribution makes a difference, and that they can each do their part,” states Gano, award-winning author of the Heartlight Girls self-esteem series for girls.“It’s been so fun to see the great ideas these kids have had, and to watch their excitement build throughout the publication process.”

The programs of the Young Authors League (YAL) are just one of the activities of the CIPA Education and Literacy Foundation (ELF). CIPA ELF also recently teamed with several Rotary Clubs in Colorado to donate over $6000 worth of books to local libraries and schools throughout the area.

Copies of Making the World a Better Place: Student Stories about Making a Difference are available for $14.00 at  www.cipabooks.com/YAL, as well as on Amazon and at area Barnes & Noble stores. Additional YAL activities and autographings will be posted at www.DebraGano.com/Young-Authors-League1.

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This past year, YAL organized a Student Short Story Writing Competition titled, “Making the World a Better Place,” in which fourth and fifth grade students of the Cherry Creek School District in the Denver area were invited to submit a short story or artwork expressing this inspiring theme.

It is with great pleasure that we announce the publication of the Young Authors League book, Making the World a Better Place: Student Stories about Making a Difference!

Please be sure to leave a comment below, love to hear from you!!!

Last summer, YAL finalists, parents, and teachers, were brought together for a writing workshop conducted by Debra Gano, author Penny Holguin, and editor Faye Quam Heimerl. The goal of the workshop was to fine-tune the stories and give writing tips to the students prior to submitting their final entries. “The enthusiasm for writing from these students is amazing…and their passion for the theme is so inspiring!” says Gano, author of the award-winning children’s book series, the Heartlight Girls. “You can’t believe some of the great topics!”

CONGRATULATIONS STORY & ART WINNERS!

Buffalo Trail Elementary School

STORY: Elizabeth Berrington

ART: Lindsay Stolting, Sarah Nicholas, Natalie Schauls, Matison Music, Bailey Mattice, Ashley Dale, Maddie Martinez, Bridget Mann, Elizabeth Berrington, Sonoma Olson, Olivia Pare

Canyon Creek Elementary School

STORY: Emily Eads

ART: Jessica Tan

Challenge School

STORY: Stephanie Bang, Calista Bowen, Tessakiree Garber, Jewell Humphrey

ART: Kathleen Sullivan, Kai Smith

Cimarron Elementary School

STORY: Duaa Qamar

Coyote Hills Elementary School

STORY: Makenzie Hendon, Jessica Kantra, Jaime Paterson

Dry Creek Elementary School

STORY: Avery Blackman, Edwin Bosch, Morgan Jenney, Hailey Natvig, Arianne Pusey, Kayla Rondinelli, Emily Webb, Madison Weber

ART: Hailey Natvig, Kira Kirkendell, Kayla Rondinelli

Heritage Elementary School

STORY & ART: Libby Geraghty

Indian Ridge Elementary School

STORY: Sophie Goodwin

ART: Cole Johnson

Peakview Elementary School

STORY: Jane Higa, Lizzie Hoelscher

Sagebrush Elementary School

STORY: Leah Gibson, Josiah Kim, Alyssa King, Samuel Roces

Sunrise Elementary School

STORY: Raeshonique Luarks

ART: Taylor Pinson

Village East Elementary School

STORY: Helen Lee, Tanzilla Purnota, Gavin Woldu

Please leave a comment below,

we would love to hear from you!

This past year, YAL organized a Student Short Story Writing Competition titled, “Making the World a Better Place,” in which fourth and fifth grade students of the Cherry Creek School District in the Denver area were invited to submit a short story or artwork expressing this inspiring theme.

It is with great pleasure that I announce the publication of the Young Authors League book, Making the World a Better Place: Student Stories about Making a Difference!

From Fearless Foam-Fighters to an argument between a fork and a spoon, and from the Get Things Done Girls to the power of a smile, this is a delightful collection of inspiring short stories and artwork by the students themselves. Experience the insights, as well as the talents, of these amazing students, and find out for yourself how to make the world a better place…you may be inspired to do the same!

Purchase your copy now for $14.00.  All proceeds from the sale of this book benefit the CIPA Education and Literacy Foundation to continue developing and implementing literacy programs for students which bring out their potential and build their excitement for reading and writing.

For a list of winners, participating schools, comments, and information on upcoming YAL events, please visit http://debragano.com/young-authors-league1/.

Join us on EARTH DAY, APRIL 22, from 4-8 pm as we launch Making the World a Better Place at Barnes & Noble in Southlands Mall, Aurora, Colorado! Click HERE for more information!

 Star’s Attraction

A Girl’s Discovery of Inner Power

It’s the story of a girl named Star who has an exciting dream she wants to pursue, but becomes intimated by those around her that tease her and say her dream is “too big.” She gets discouraged and starts to believe the critical things others say about her, until one day, she is visited by a mysterious horse, and of course, her Heartlight Angel, who help her realize that anything is possible, as long as you believe in yourself…

Scheduled for release Fall 2010, pre-orders will begin in several months. Stay posted for other sneak peeks as my illustrator Dawn Pitre continues to do her magic…(and if you like horses, you’re going to love this book!!!)

Excited and honored to launch the new Teen Program with the Compass Personal Development Network! Through their unique MAPS programs, a teen can coach with me for a few minutes a day, and for only $19 a month! We’ve developed three powerful month-long programs, you can check it out by visiting www.mylifecompass.com/debragano and click on the TEEN tab in the upper right hand corner. Be sure to watch my video! Give the lasting gift of self-esteem to a teen this Valentine’s Day!