Former teacher writes book about Jackson schools

Chelsea Tornetto's last day of teaching world geography at Jackson's Russell Hawkins Junior High School in June was also the first day of her new career as a full-time author.

She recently self-published a children's picture book all about Jackson schools and the district where she taught for 17 years.

The book, "Jackson: A Celebration of Our Schools", shows Jackson students experiencing moments from their first day of kindergarten through high school graduation.

Tornetto said she had wanted to be a writer since she was her students' age. She said she started writing "seriously" in 2017.

Her first book was a vocabulary textbook published by Scholastic in 2018. In 2022, she had her first two children's picture books published, the first titled "God Made You Too" and the second, "Gardens Are For Growing" featured Tornetto's husband and daughter as characters.

Tornetto said "little rhymes and poems" often come to her, and that's how the idea for a book about her years teaching at Jackson schools struck her, and she wrote it down. She said her husband encouraged her to show the book to Scott Smith, superintendent of Jackson School District.

Every year, the district chooses a book to give each kindergartner, and when Smith heard about Tornetto's book, he said it was a "great idea" and chose it for the 2023-24 school year.

"We're really proud of the book, and I think Mrs. Tornetto has been able to take her talents and help us highlight our district for students," Smith said. "I think it'll become a collectible, something that all of our students will want, and parents will want for their kids, no matter what grades they're in."

Smith said Tornetto's book succeeds in showing the district's "portrait of a graduate".

"We want to make sure that our students are ready for life after graduation, whatever that may be," Smith said. "We feel like we've got to produce a well-rounded student that has all kinds of experiences throughout their time here at school where they can get along with others, they're self-motivated and have the capabilities of learning."

Tornetto said it was important for her that students be able to recognize their school and even themselves in the book's illustrations. With that in mind, she picked Kit Laurence L. Nacua from the Philippines.

"I chose him specifically because I wanted something that didn't look like a cartoon," Tornetto said. "I wanted the pictures to look realistic enough that kids could see themselves in them and to give that sense of nostalgia."

Tornetto said she sent Nacua reference photos of areas in the schools such as hallways, the library and even the high school's athletic field, "The Pit". She said she specifically wanted to show the bulletin board at the junior high so kindergartners can see what clubs and activities they could join when they get older.

One of the goals Tornetto said she had for the book is to help young students start picturing themselves being successful in academics and getting excited about things like going to a big library, getting a locker or taking part in athletics or the school band. Smith added one of his favorite illustrations in the book shows a wall at the high school where, on the last day of school, graduates paint their handprints.

"I wanted to put a positive spin on school like being proud of themselves for achieving whatever goal through hard work," Tornetto said. "Yes, school is fun, but when you work hard, that can have a whole different positive feeling."

"Toss your cap and wave goodbye, Jackson is the place to fly," reads the last sentence of the book, with a final image showing a student in her graduation cap and gown looking toward the dome of the old Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in downtown Jackson.

"I wanted readers to be able to envision themselves leaving Jackson, but still remembering their hometown and where they're from," Tornetto said. "To give them that vision of their future and that they can fly wherever they want from that point on."

The last pages of the book have spots for the students to write their name and add a school photo of themselves, as well as pages for their classmates to sign and leave messages. Tornetto and Smith both said they hope the book will live on student's bookshelves to be rediscovered and "bring back some pretty fun memories" of their days at Jackson schools.