Sylvia Acevedo

FROM AMAZON: The inspiring memoir for young readers about a Latina rocket scientist whose early life was transformed by joining the Girl Scouts and who currently serves as CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA.

A meningitis outbreak in their underprivileged neighborhood left Sylvia Acevedo’s family forever altered. As she struggled in the aftermath of loss, young Sylvia’s life transformed when she joined the Brownies. The Girl Scouts taught her how to take control of her world and nourished her love of numbers and science.
With new confidence, Sylvia navigated shifting cultural expectations at school and at home, forging her own trail to become one of the first Latinx to graduate with a master's in engineering from Stanford University and going on to become a rocket scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.… (mer)

An inspiring and frank memoir by a Mexican-Amercan who surpassed everyone’s expectations and became, first, a rocket scientist, and later, CEO of the Girl Scouts. Sylvia Acevedo explains the sometimes painful process of assimilation (such as when she was forced to give up two of her names upon enrolling in school, something that most Latinos are still expected to do) and tells stories of everyday sexism and racism and alienation from her more traditionally minded peers. At the same time, she tells charming stories about family and her delightfully bookish teen self. Throughout, she’s conscious of herself as a role model to girls who want to follow in her footsteps. The book is available in both English and Spanish.… (mer)