Many people doubted Jessika Hearne would ever succeed in life, but she has proven them wrong on so many levels. Some said she wouldn’t graduate high school, but she did. Her educational pursuits went even further with her receiving a Bachelor’s degree, soon to be followed by a Master’s degree in Education Administration, which she’ll receive this August. Others tried to destroy her self-esteem, not knowing that her personal pride and strong self-worth would one day help her overcome the many obstacles she faced throughout her childhood and most of her adult life.
As a child and young adult, Hearne suffered from neglect and abuse, but she thanks God that her life is now peaceful, secure and worth living. The proud mother of three is also living her dreams, one after the other.
She is enjoying a humbling and rewarding career as a middle school teacher. Last year, she received the honor of being named McAuliffe Middle School’s Campus Teacher of the Year, followed by being named an FBISD Teacher of the Year finalist, and finally, FBISD’s 2017 District Secondary Teacher of the Year. She is also working on her natural hair product line, A Touch of Parrys, which will be released soon. And to top it off, she recently became a published author.
“Having my book published is a big accomplishment for me,” admits Hearne. “It feels amazing and crazy all at the same time. I feel like everything is falling into place for me.”
Her book, Growing Up: Life Behind the Chalkboard, chronicles key life-changing moments in the life of main character, Musik Raine. Musik overcomes a life of poverty, physical and verbal abuse, and even a kidnapping – all while keeping her dreams of becoming more than her situation alive.
“The messages I want people to receive from reading my book is that they are responsible for their own lives, and not even the sky is the limit to what they can achieve,” said Hearne. “So many people tried to discourage me and make me feel smaller than who I am. I refused to let those negative people impact my life, and remained positive knowing that I would someday achieve my goals.”
Hearne also feels it is important to rise above the hurt and pain caused by others and avoid trying to get even. “The universe will take care of them,” she said.
What’s next on the horizon for the author? Hearne plans to write another book. Stay tuned, she promises it will be one that all readers can enjoy.