Sanger Unified students celebrated as published authors thanks to 'Authorable'

SANGER, Calif. (KFSN) -- Sanger Unified students were celebrated Tuesday morning.

Kids in second through sixth grade were officially recognized as authors.

It may have looked like an ordinary multipurpose room filled with students.

But Tuesday morning, it was transformed into a place where creativity and collaboration were celebrated.

Grade by grade, students at Sequoia Elementary School were handed a certificate and brought on stage.

"It's like really hard to become an author, so I think it's cool," said third-grade student Matthew Kuykendall.

The Sanger Unified School District brought in Authorable to work with students.

It's a company that invites kids behind the scenes of book publishing.

Students like Kuykendall got to write their own version of the story -- in their own handwriting -- and weighed in on important decisions.

"We chose this for the piggy bank, and the turtle for the background character," Matthew explained.

Susie Harder is the founder and CEO of Authorable.

As a best-selling children's book author, she says the program aims to help students see themselves as creators and contributors.

"I hope that kids really feel seen and they know that their ideas are important," Harder said.

While the program promotes reading, writing and discussion, it's designed as a fun activity.

Fourth-grade teacher Serena Vargas says it was a project her students asked to work on daily.

"Working alongside an author -- a real author -- they felt like their voices were heard. They felt like they were important, and they showed up every day, like, 'When are we doing Authorable?'" Vargas said.

Each student got to take home their book, but not before exchanging autographs with their classmates.

Now a published author, Matthew said he couldn't wait to get home and show his family.

"I know they're going to be excited for me because it's a big accomplishment," Matthew said.

The entire process normally takes a full semester, but because it's summer school, these students completed the book in about two and a half weeks.

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