Lower school students welcomed guest author Karyn Parsons to campus this week for a day of presentations on her work as a children and young adult writer, actor, and entrepreneur.

“Parsons’ books explore lesser-known histories with storytelling that resonates with young readers,” shared teacher librarian Leigh Roberts, who coordinated the visit. “Her work encourages curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking, values that are central to King’s mission.”

To prepare for her visit, students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 read Parsons’ books “Saving the Day” and “Flying Free” and discussed the ideas and themes. 

Inspired by Garret Morgan, whose invention of the stoplight is the subject of “Saving the Day,” Grade 2 students designed and coded their own stoplight characters using the Scratch programming language.
Students in Grades 4 and 5 researched Parsons’ work, listened to a summary of her novel “Clouds Over California,” and enjoyed a short recording of Karyn reading an excerpt aloud. 

Grade 4 also worked on a research project for Black History Month, practicing paraphrasing and summarizing skills as they coded an interactive biography using Scratch.

During her visit on Monday, February 24, Parsons met with class groups in the Lower School Library Learning Commons. After reading to the groups, she shared how her love for literature began as a child surrounded by books, thanks to her mother, Louise Parsons, who was a librarian.

“As a kid, my mom told me about Henry Box Brown, who mailed himself across state lines to escape slavery,” Parsons told the students. “I thought it was an incredible story, and I couldn’t believe there weren’t any books about it.”

In her adult life, Parsons’ passion for storytelling initially brought her to the acting world, where she found success early on with her portrayal of Hilary Banks on the sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”

Following the show's success, Parsons explored writing between her work acting and producing television and movies. The journey wasn’t without its challenges, as she described having to push through initial feelings of self-doubt, encouraging students to take the first step toward their dreams. 

“When you think something is a big deal, just start,” she told them. “It might take a long time, but it’s always worth it if it’s something in your heart.”

Parsons also discussed the mission of her company, Sweet Blackberry, to bring little-known stories of Black achievement to children everywhere and celebrate the often-overlooked heroes through animation and literature.

Twelve students from Grades 4 and 5 were randomly selected to enjoy a lunch meeting with Parsons. The meal-time conversation was filled with curiosity and excitement as students asked thoughtful questions about her experiences as both an author and an actress. 

Parsons’ visit clearly left a lasting impact, as students excitedly shared new ideas and inspiration across grade levels. Beyond the academic connections, her visit reinforced the power of perseverance, storytelling, and celebrating diverse voices.