Paula Young Shelton is a teacher, author, wife, and most importantly, mother to three extraordinary humans. An early childhood teacher for over 30 years, she has taught in a rural village in East Africa, the public schools of Atlanta, GA, and Washington, DC, as well as independent schools in New York City and the nation’s capital. A graduate of Duke University, Paula earned a Master’s degree in Early Childhood from Bank Street College of Education. As a first grade teacher at Georgetown Day School (GDS) for 20 years, she enjoyed implementing a dynamic curriculum consisting of a civil rights unit, a study of all kinds of families, including same-sex parents and non-binary children, and a social curriculum emphasizing an appreciation for diversity and acceptance of all, in conjunction with a challenging academic program. The civil rights unit is informed by her personal experiences as the daughter of a civil rights activist which motivated her to author the children’s book, Child of the Civil Rights Movement. Her latest book, Just Like Jesse Owens, recalls a pivotal childhood event told to Paula by her father, Ambassador Andrew Young. In addition to teaching, Paula spent a year as the Author in Residence at GDS, supporting and enhancing the writing program in the lower school. Currently, she is a Kindergarten teacher at Capital City Public Charter School. Paula continues to write children’s books about civil rights, share her experiences with students to educate them about this critical time in American history, and inspire them to be social activists and change agents.