Young Authors Publishing (YAP) was founded by Leah Hernandez in 2018. She saw the need for books that truly represented kids from diverse communities.
YAP provides young writers with the tools and support to share their stories. They also publish books and run an experience program that supports young authors with their writing journey.
Founded by Leah Hernandez
Young Authors Publishing is a book publisher that teaches young writers the art of book publishing. The company works closely with middle school students to help them write and publish their first books. This program aims to give them a sense of ownership over their writing and also provide them with the experience of publishing a book and selling it nationally and globally.
The young authors’ royalties are deposited into a savings account for them to use when they go to college. Leah Hernandez’s team teaches the young authors how to save and budget, so that when they receive their profits they will be financially literate adults.
Founded in 2015, this international online youth literary journal is run by teens and is open to submissions of poetry, prose, creative nonfiction, and opinion articles. The publication is a space for teenagers to share their stories and their perspectives on global issues.
In addition to the magazine, they offer a mentorship program for kids in grades six through twelve who would like to write and submit their work for publication. The team of youth editors work to make the magazine a safe and inspiring place for kids to express themselves and their unique perspectives.
This biannual journal is dedicated to promoting healing through the written word from leaders of various backgrounds, including youth, adult, and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous People of Color). It features writing, essays, short stories, poetry, and art that explores topics of public health through the experiences of its readers.
One of the first publications created by a teen editor, this bi-annual magazine is a great way for teens to showcase their writing talents. This journal is a safe space for teens to write and share their stories, and it's free to read.
An online magazine for ages 13-22 that seeks original and unpublished fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and artwork. The magazine's mission is to support "young voices that have not had the chance to be heard," and they encourage writers from around the world.
After years of working as a marketing and publishing instructor at a university, she decided to create her own company to help other authors like her students. She has since published more than 30 children's books, and her team works with students to help them develop their writing skills while learning the publishing industry. The company also develops a sales and marketing strategy so that the authors can sell their books nationally and globally. The authors' royalties are deposited into a savings accounts that they can access at age 18 to use towards their post-secondary plans.
YAP’s Experience Program
The YAP Experience Program is a unique opportunity for young people to explore a variety of topics. YAP provides hands-on, experiential learning in a wide range of topics including architecture, sports medicine, nanotechnology, forensics and more.
The Experience Program has one of the highest rates of success in the country, with YAP alumni transitioning into successful careers in the arts, business, education and other sectors. It is an evidence-based model integrating supported employment and supported education into the transition to independence process.
Mentors meet with youth for at least 7.5 hours a week and sometimes even more if the youth are in serious need of help. This gives the mentors a lot of time to build a strong relationship with their mentee and really get to know what makes them tick.
It also allows them to build a strong foundation of trust between the pair, which is key to building a lasting relationship in the long term. This means they can have serious conversations about issues that matter to the mentee and still leave things on a good note for the mentee.
For example, if the mentee is struggling with mental health, the mentors might take them on a short meditation or art therapy class to work on their stress and anxiety. It might sound like a simple thing, but it can have a huge impact.
This could be done at the same time as their academic studies and allow them to keep up with their course work while balancing other life responsibilities. It could also be used to help them learn how to balance their academic goals with their social needs.
YAP has also been shown to be effective at helping teens with ADHD, depression and other mental health issues to succeed in school and in their daily lives. This program incorporates an evidence-based treatment and a clinical team that works with students to identify their strengths, goals and resources.
YAP also has a strong track record for reducing criminal behavior in young people a year after leaving the program. This could be due in part to the high-intensity nature of the program and the fact that it helps young people stay on track with their court-mandated Individual Treatment Plan. However, it is also possible that the relationship between the mentor and mentee may be critical to the success of this program.
YAP’s Books
YAP’s Books provide a unique multi-sensory learning experience, blending written and animated content to give children a fun way to learn. We have integrated writing into the app as a key skill for life, using our Yap Story Creator tool to help children to develop their creative thinking and imagination. This includes a range of animation tools to help them bring their stories to life and learn digital skills from a young age.
The app also provides a smart reading experience, ensuring that children receive tailored support each step of the way. Teachers can monitor children’s progress from their classroom, providing a more connected approach to learning and giving them the opportunity to work with pupils and their parents. The app is also designed to help children to read in a more efficient and smarter way, with instant feedback that can be sent directly to teachers and parents.
Future Perfect is an incredibly clever novel, which weaves across three timelines and multiple narrators throughout its length. This enables Yap to gradually reveal clues and half suggestions through each character’s back story, slowly building tension towards the climax of the book. Each narrator is well written, with their own individual flaws and imperfections, but this only helps to build their back story and develop a compelling set of characters who will have the reader wanting to follow their journey.
Yesterday is a perfect summer read for science fiction and murder mystery fans, and is set in Cambridge where the world is split into Duos (people who can remember events from their lives for two days) and Monos (people who can only remember events from their lives for 24 hours). This concept was incredibly cleverly created, which made the novel so enjoyable to read as it explores how people in this new, post-tech world deal with not having long term memory.
Her prose is gorgeous and her turns of phrase are both beautiful and precise, evoked so beautifully by the complexities of her characters’ wants and needs. Her ability to create a sense of depth in her stories is truly stunning, and she does this in every story in the collection. From the definite horror of “Good Girls” (which revolves around a monster who detaches her body and eats the placenta of women), to the sci-fi in “Milagroso” (where artificial food is tasty and cheaper than real) and the queerness of “A Spell for Foolish Hearts” (where Patrick struggles with being gay, even as he’s not a romantic) Never Have I Ever is a powerful debut collection by Felicia Yap, one that establishes her as a master of the speculative genre.
YAP’s Events
YAP hosts several events throughout the year to help connect and support the community’s young adults. These include YAP’s Happy Hours, NSP Eastern Division Young Adult Training Seminar, and OEC/S&T Training.
Founded by Career Connections and the Athens Area Chamber, YAP’s Happy Hours are casual open-house style networking events that provide a chance for career-minded young adults in the early stages of their careers to socialize with fellow YAPs while patronizing a different business each month. YAP’s events are free to attend and offer a great opportunity for YAPs to network with local business leaders and other YAPs in the region.
The Yap Day ceremony is the most colorful and festive event on Yap with traditional dances, crafts, tattoos, competitions, and demonstrations in ceremonial attire. The festival is also the peak of the manta ray mating season when trains of mantas congregate in Yap’s lagoon and dance over the reef in courtship displays.
For YAPs, the celebration is a fantastic way to learn about Yapese culture and traditions as well as meet the people of the island. This event is also a great way to experience one of the island’s most popular activities- big animal diving!
This year, the Yap Day theme is “YAP - the Cultural Heritage of the Pacific Islands.” The celebration features workshops and activities to keep Yapese traditions and heritage alive. The main focus of this year’s event will be a celebration of Yapese history and beliefs through story, song and dance.
In addition to this, there will be historical preservation workshops to teach attendees about Yapese cultural values. Traditional foods, jewelry, crafts and art will be featured as well as opportunities to meet the people of the island.
There will be traditional sex rituals, coconut husking/grading, betel nut tree climbing, and weaving. In addition, there will be traditional dress and dances performed by all ages.
YAP’s annual conference is a great opportunity for YAPs ages 18-35 to network, connect with friends and get away from the daily grind. It is a fantastic way to stay connected with the local agricultural community, relax and recharge.