Happy New Year everyone! While I’m busy spending the first days of 2020 locked inside my office completing revisions, my friend––teen philanthropist, author, and blogger Alyssa Antoci––has stopped by for an update on some life changes. What’s new for Alyssa and her important causes for 2020?
P.S. If you’ve read “The Library of Lost Things”, my teen Alyssa is named in tribute to this amazing world-changer!
From Alyssa…
Wrapping up 2019 has been quite an exciting challenge. I’ve finally settled into my new life, new home and new high school in Los Angeles. I have made such amazing new friends and am doing well in school. The drastic adjustment has taken a while, as moving from the country and living on a ranch is quite different than living here. This is the 10th school and 10th home I’ve moved to in my 16 years.
Transitioning is difficult sometimes, but I do have friends all over California due to our moving around so much. I do miss the country, my old friends, our ranch with all of the animals and especially riding my horse. Driving here is also a lot different than driving in Santa Ynez on country roads. However, Los Angeles is starting to feel like home to me. I’ve been so busy meeting new people, going to school and working out at Soul Cycle.
I’m looking forward to the many future speakings for my book at local schools, previous schools, libraries, after school programs, book fairs, and events. Recently I was interviewed for The Palisadian Post and I’m excited to be able to share my story with many more kids. This week I’ve been so busy with finals, but it is almost Christmas break, which is my favorite time of the year. I’m hoping my family and I will get to visit New York over my winter break as it is my absolute favorite place especially when it is cold. I’m also hoping to tour some colleges on the East Coast as well.
One of my goals in the new year is to try to get my book and the musical adaptation of my book, The Purple Marble, into more schools. It was such an incredibly impactful one-act musical written by PCPA’s, Leo Cortez, and I’m hoping it reaches a wider audience. It was so moving and inspiring and I would love to see it travel the world sharing its unbelievable message about bullying to younger kids.
I think younger kids seeing this musical has such a big impact because kids get to witness such horrible bullying experience in the musical and it helps them realize that they aren’t alone. Max, the main character, feels so alone and a lot of kids can relate to that pain. My book and the musical come from the perspective of the bully, the bullied, and the bystander so almost every child can identify with one or more of those roles. College is coming up right around the corner and it’s been a bit stressful studying for SATs and trying to figure out what I want to study and where I want to go. I feel like I need a couple more years to figure out this part of my life. However, I’m so excited about this upcoming unknown chapter of my life and I hope all my goals can be accomplished successfully.
I hope I can be a positive influence and share my message with more kids. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and please remember to do something kind for someone over the holiday season. Thank you.
Thank you, Alyssa, for stopping by for a visit!