Former student brings Earth Day message to Gorham

Mike Murphy, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

GORHAM, NY — Back when she attended kindergarten at Gorham Elementary School, Shaunna Stith said a visiting author made such an impression on her that she wanted to write a book and come back to Gorham and read it to students.

“That’s exactly what happened, which is pretty cool,” Stith said.

Stith and husband John co-authored the children’s book, “Black Beach,” which was published last year. Their book, which is also published in South Korea and soon will be in Germany and Japan, tells the true story of the 1969 Union Oil spill in Santa Barbara, California that led to the creation of the first Earth Day, as seen through the eyes of a young girl named Sam.

Shaunna and John Smith visited schools in Canandaigua and Gorham, where Shaunna attended, to read their children's book with an environmental message, "Black Beach."
Shaunna and John Smith visited schools in Canandaigua and Gorham, where Shaunna attended, to read their children's book with an environmental message, "Black Beach."

The couple, who now live in California where they take part in regular beach cleanups, spoke about their book to students in Gorham and Canandaigua, where Shaunna also attended school in later years. Her father, Kevin Bailey, is a retired teacher at Whitman as was her stepmom, Jill Bailey.

They also shared ideas for how students and their families can care for the environment, through saying “no” to single-use plastic water bottles and composting, among others.

The good news is many of the students are already acting on those ideas.

Students are trying to collect as many plastic items as they can, for the benefit of the environment but also for a pizza party, according to Principal Jenn Taft. Students also created some pretty awesome Earth Day posters.

Fourth-grader Avery Pendleton said she and her family make sure plastics at home go in the recycling bin, so they don’t wind up in the landfill. Fruits and veggies that have gone bad are used for compost.

The Gorham Elementary School gym was packed with students waiting to hear from the authors of "Black Beach."
The Gorham Elementary School gym was packed with students waiting to hear from the authors of "Black Beach."

And here are her words of inspiration.

“It's very easy,” Avery said.

Early on in the process of writing — it took the Stiths four years — they were discouraged from writing a children's story with such a heavy environmental message because it was felt the kids could not handle it. Not true, as they have discovered.

"Kids want to learn about this," John Stith said. "They want to become more knowledgeable because that empowers them to take action."

Among the messages of “Black Beach” is inspiration and perseverance.

“It feels better to stand up and take action than to sit back and wait,” Stith said, which is what the character Sam did.

Fourth-grader Miles Heaven said he learned from the boom that everyone can help fight against pollution.

“Everybody can change the world,” Miles said.

John Stith told students that the disastrous oil spill led to the first Earth Day celebration and many more, as well as the adoption of clean air, clean water and endangered species protections.

“If something bad happens, it doesn’t have to be the end of the story,” he said.

Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy.

This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Shaunna and John Stith's 'Black Beach' tells tale of Earth Day

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