Fourteen year old freshmen, Neena Dejesus and Kiera Jones, engage in a hallway brawl at Zora Neale Hurston High School for Creative Expression. The conflict between the two is all about the boy they like. The girls and a couple of schoolmates who come to their aid, along with other witnesses, are summoned to the dean's office. Senior mediator, Cinamin Thomas, the product of a "down home" spiritual upbringing, intervenes with sprinkles of academic advice. Eventually, the pugnacious pair decide that Jamal is not worthy of their affections. After the fight, amazing friendships emerge. The girls are further enlightened when English teacher, Myra Warren, suggests the girls coordinate a program for Women's History Month. The girls open up to each other on a personal level, sharing experiences involving family, school, relationships and more. Cinamin, raised by her paternal grandparents since she was a baby, dwells on her grandmother's advice (truths) as she struggles with a moral issue of her own. Moments of triumph and times of despair permeate this drama of passion and pain as five high school girls sort through the intricacies of their challenging lives. They reveal their vices, share their woes, and ultimately develop a positive, spiritual, and sisterly connection. A PEARL OF A GIRL COMPLETE LIST OF CHARACTERS CINAMIN THOMAS (protagonist, focused on goals) age 17 - leads and protects her younger schoolmates, role model, school mediator, raised by her spiritual paternal grandparents NEENA DEJESUS (foster child, writes & recites rap) age 14 - enjoys rapping rap, foster child, bounced from home to home, mother on drugs even during the time of her birth, not too serious about school, wants very much to be part of a real family PETAL TAYLOR (antagonist, loves fashion) age 16 - likes attention, enjoys attention, likes fashion, a bit narcissistic, boys love her, resides with her father, mother left to pursue career in entertainment, dad gives her everything she asks for out of guilt, mirror and lip gloss--her favorite things, excels in English SCARLA HUNTER (learning challenged, sings) - age 15 -strives to be accepted, has speech impediment, learning challenged, low self-esteem, father is abusive to her and her mom, wants to fit in so she hangs with Petal to feel important KIERA JONES (avid reader, from low income environment) age 14 -creates drama, loud talking, gum popping product of a strict upbringing by her mom and Caribbean maternal grandmother, recognizes the importance of an education, enjoys writing, resides in public housing MAMA REEN (Cinamin's spiritual paternal grandmother) is raising her granddaughter based on biblical principles ****************************************************************************** CHARACTER VOICES DEAN HAYES (Middle-aged man, head dean at Zora Neale Hurston High School) SAFETY OFFICER (Works alongside Dean Haynes) MAMA REEN (Cinamin's paternal grandmother) OMAR (Cinamin's boyfriend) SYDNEY (Cinamin's estranged father)
About the Author: SE Scott has taught in public and private schools for many years. Since retiring, she has devoted much of her time to family, writing, media production, and community activities. She lectures and reads her poetry in institutions around the country. Currently, she hosts a talk show called Here By DeSign on BlogTalkRadio. Camille Worrell is a writer, educator, performance artist and poet born in North Carolina. She has resided in Bronx, New York for several years. Ms Worrell has written inspirational articles for her church newsletter, The Canaan Voice, for 17 years, and she has performed in regional and community theatre over the years in New York City. Some of her credits include A Challenge to Love, written by the late Pastor Ronetta Mobely, The Reincarnation of Romeo and Juliet and Ragdoll, written and directed by Sharon King, and For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf (Notazake Shange, directed by Ronald Haynie). She is an active member and participant of the UFT Players (United Federation of Teachers), a theater group consisting of New York City teachers who perform well known literary pieces and their original work throughout the year. Ms. Worrell co-wrote A Pearl of a Girl, an original theatrical piece, with former colleague, S.E. Scott. A Pearl of a Girl opened as part of the Readers Theatre Series at The National Black Theatre Festival in Winston Salem, NC, August, 2009. Ms. Worrell is also co-writer and director of Black Satin Love Letters, a Love Poetic with Geoffrey D. Holman. She is working on several creative projects, including her first book of inspirational writings.