Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey Montgomery.
Hi Stacey, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am an author, illustrator, and a social-emotional learning innovator. My mission is to help kids understand that they are worthy and that they matter.
My passion for empowering children started as a young adult when I became frustrated with the lack of positive, diverse images in the marketplace. I was reminded of moments during my childhood of feeling out of place and unaccepted. I felt different from the world around me.
This led to me creating a line of stationery and gifts that featured my original illustrations of diverse children. I wanted children to see themselves in my illustrations and feel good about themselves.
Years later, as a mom to an amazing neurodivergent son, I was frustrated with his experience at school. He had difficulty fitting in. The strategies of the schools, though well-intentioned, resulted in my son feeling unempowered and even more like an outsider.
To help empower kids, I started writing confidence-building guided journals for kids and I created social-emotional learning programs for schools and youth groups. In addition, I give presentations to parents, educators, and community organizations about the connection between social-emotional learning and mental health.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road. Working with schools is challenging as they often assume that because they already have social-emotional learning programming, they would not need my resources. However, there tend to be gaps in the comprehensive programming that schools offer. For example, current programming does not typically directly address the issues that schools face that impacted my son’s experience and continue to impact current students. My resources address gaps.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In addition to publishing confidence-building guided journals for kids, I also create social-emotional learning programming for schools and youth organizations that are based on my guided journals.
My books and programs help kids understand that they matter. To that end, all of my resources focus on self-reflection and start off with a focus on self. Kids must first and foremost value themselves- not from a selfish or braggadocious perspective, but from an “I matter” perspective. My materials also focus on community. Kids must value community. They must understand that everyone has a place in the community and that all voices matter.
My social-emotional learning resources are different from other resources because of the emphasis on self. It is also different because they emphasize that when it comes to school, the entire school community has a responsibility to ensure that each child is embraced as a part of that community.
I am proud that because of my work, there are kids who now understand that they have value. I am also proud that my approach to social-emotional learning resonates with many teachers, principals, parents, and therapists.
I also enjoy speaking to parents, educators, and community organizations about the relationship between social emotional learning and mental health.
What matters most to you?
In addition to my family, my impact on the children matters. It is important that I do my part to help children understand that they matter and that they have joy-filled lives.
Pricing:
- Guided journals are $15 each. Bulk pricing is available to organizations.
- My social-emotional programs for schools is based on # of students.
- My fee for author visits to schools starts at $350.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.staceymdesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staceymdesign/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/staceymdesign
Image Credits
Megan Holly
