By Taylor Ware

“I signed up for service-learning because it was an opportunity to do something good. I never thought I would end up a published author,” said junior Missouri State student, Sarah Hinkson. 

Last spring, Sarah took part in the National Literacy Project in its mission to provide reading and writing resources to children and families. Being a theater major and a Spanish minor, Sarah developed the perfect idea to combine her educational background and desire to support literacy. 

I signed up for service-learning because it was an opportunity to do something good. I never thought I would end up a published author

These factors lead to Príncipe Alejandro; an original children’s book featuring both English and Spanish translations of the story. Príncipe Alejandro is about a little boy that faces adversity in his attempts to socialize with the other kids in his school. Sarah wrote this book to show children that they are not alone in their challenges with social identity.

Alejandro is inspired by a real person: the child of Sarah’s high school theater teacher. Her teacher’s son often came with his mom to help with class. He would regularly wear dresses which led to high school students teasing and mocking him. Sarah explained, “I wanted to show that gender isn’t integral to clothing. Alejandro is still growing and as long as he is being kind, the ways he chooses to express that are perfectly healthy.”

Another aspect of Príncipe Alejandro is that its central character is multiracial. Sarah is Asian-American and has personal ties to the challenges that multiracial individuals experience. Alejandro is Black and Hispanic; his racial identity plays a role in his confusion about fitting in with his peers. Young children aren’t often exposed to the complexities of belonging to multiple marginalized groups. Sarah’s story aims to make intersectionality digestible for youth.

When asked about the importance of books like Príncipe Alejandro, Sarah said, “Children are remarkably malleable. They need materials that reflect who they are and tell them they are valid. I want kids of all identities to feel normal and accepted.”

Spanish is a key point of the storytelling because, not only is Spanish Alejandro’s language, but it is the language of many American children. Telling this story in Alejandro and his family’s words was deeply important to Sarah. As for the dual translations of the book, she wanted English speakers to also benefit from the message of the book. This was also an incredible learning exercise for Sarah. She learned many new words and phrases through her work on the book.

According to Sarah, her Spanish professor, Dr. Maria Cerdas Cisneros, was a massive help in the translation process. Dr. Cisneros taught her it takes an open mind to learn a new language and adapt when certain words or phrases don’t have a direct translation. Much of the fairytale language used in the book was more difficult to find. For instance, Sarah expressed frustration over translating the word “carriage.”

Once Sarah had conceptualized Príncipe Alejandro, she sought further direction from the director of service-learning, Dr. Katherine Nordyke, who pointed her towards service-learning student worker, Nova Ewers. “Nova is an artist and digital animator; without their involvement in the project, it never would have come this far,” said Sarah. 

Nova and Sarah proceeded to share ideas and collaborate on the completion of Príncipe Alejandro. Nova speaks highly of the experience. “When I first met Sarah, she was very enthusiastic about her story. I wanted to help her make it a reality, especially with how it could help kids learn English as a second language.”  

Sarah was very appreciative of Nova’s help. She mentioned that one of her favorite parts of the book are the mental health resources provided at the back which are a result of Nova’s efforts. 

Sarah, Nova, and members of the service-learning staff collaborated on the publication process. To capitalize on cost and time efficiency, they determined self-publication via Amazon was the best approach. Tangible results made the experience all the more fulfilling for Sarah. “Even if the book helps just one kid, that would be enough for me,” she said.

Service-learning has made a long-lasting impact on Sarah who already has several more projects in the works. She hopes to address issues like conflict resolution and generational trauma in the future. Sarah’s philosophy is that children can handle more challenging topics than we accredit them. We only need to present it in the right way, she explained. 

When asked about her experience with service-learning this is how Sarah responded: 

“It’s hard to find time for volunteering in college, so something I can do remotely and on my own time that still impacts people is so valuable. I highly recommend the National Literacy Project. Service-learning is a very safe environment to voice your ideas, work with others and make a real difference. I got to grow my professional writing skills and make great connections with the incredible service-learning staff. This is all not to mention, that I got that chance to help kids during the most important developmental stage of their life.”

Do you want to make a difference like Sarah did? Check out the link below to learn how you can get involved with service-learning. 

https://www.missouristate.edu/casl/

And if you want to learn more about Sarah’s book:

Príncipe Alejandro: Prince Alejandro: Hinkson, Sarah K.: 9798825453934: Amazon.com: Books