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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: CHYNNA DENNY
Chynna attended Canton City schools from grades 1-12 and graduated with an associates degree from Timken Early College in 2010. She graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2013 with a dual degree in business and two-dimensional studies. She has operated a photography business for over six years and currently serves as an ESL teacher teaching English to children in China. She travels back and forth from Canton and spends significant time abroad with her family. She is in Canton visiting now, but later this month, she and her partner will head to France for 7 months.
“I can't, I can't...I CAN!” is a story designed to help young children identify and overcome their shyness and fears.
“I wrote this book from the perspective of a shy child in hopes to offer support and encouragement to other shy children who may not be able to voice their feelings. Growing up shy had to be one of my most difficult obstacles. I was afraid to do everything, from learning an instrument (because I was afraid of having to play in front of an audience), to playing a sport (because I was afraid to fail and be judged), and even quitting on drawing due to others opinions about my work!” Chynna said.
“I believe that having this specific support and encouragement at a young age could help those who may not understand why they have those feelings. I want other children to know that on the other side of fear is their special source of courage, and they can become whatever they want to be in life. Having the push to follow my dreams helped me make the decision to finally pursue my goals in life. I hope this book encourages and supports shy children to seek a trusted outlet, pursue their dreams, and let nothing stand in their way.
Chynna said that “I can’t, I can’t... I CAN!” is a very personal and special project for her.
“I was able to write and illustrate everything from start to finish to prove to myself that I am capable of overcoming fears and completing projects. This book is also for the parents who may not know what their child is experiencing and for the children who don’t know how to put their feelings into words. At the end of the story, I included activities for parents and children to work on together to overcome fears and obstacles in their lives.”
I can’t, I can’t l... I CAN! is available for purchase on Amazon.com October 24th.