Path to the Stars - by Sylvia Acevedo

About the Book

The inspiring memoir for young readers about a Latina rocket scientist whose early life was transformed by joining the Girl Scouts and who eventually served as CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA.

Book Synopsis

The inspiring memoir for young readers about a Latina rocket scientist whose early life was transformed by joining the Girl Scouts and who currently serves as CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA.

A meningitis outbreak in their underprivileged neighborhood left Sylvia Acevedo's family forever altered. As she struggled in the aftermath of loss, young Sylvia's life transformed when she joined the Brownies. The Girl Scouts taught her how to take control of her world and nourished her love of numbers and science.
With new confidence, Sylvia navigated shifting cultural expectations at school and at home, forging her own trail to become one of the first Latinx to graduate with a master's in engineering from Stanford University and going on to become a rocket scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Simultaneously available in Spanish!

Review Quotes

"This appealing page-turner helps fill the void of biographies on Latina women. Girls, boys, scouts, non- scouts--all will be inspired by Acevedo's story." - Booklist (starred review)
"Those seeking stories of female STEM trailblazers will find much to love here. Encouraging and uplifting." - Kirkus Reviews
"A gem of an autobiography...The text is accessible, and the story of Acevedo's life touches upon a number of salient points for readers including racism, gender roles, and educational inequality." - School Library Journal
School Library Journal "Acevedo's moving autobiographical account shines in its honesty, personal details, and inspirational message." - Horn Book Magazine

About the Author

Former CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA, Sylvia Acevedo has been an engineer, rocket scientist, award-winning entrepreneur, businesswoman, and commissioner on the White House Initiative for Education Excellence for Hispanics. Raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico, she divides her time between New York City and California. sylviaacevedo.org