Our newest picture book in the UNG Legacy series, UNG Best Day Ever! The Legacy of UNG’s Gainesville Campus, launched with a bang at the annual Starlight Celebration and Fireworks on August 28th.
UNG president Bonita Jacobs, along with coauthor Richard Oates and illustrator J’Nelle Short, kicked off the Starlight Celebration at the G.W. Bailey Amphitheater, introducing the new book and voicing support for Gainesville and Hall County partners. The crowd of local families, students, and alumni applauded when Jacobs announced that 100% of profits from the UNG Legacy series would be donated to student scholarships.
Signed copies of UNG Best Day Ever! were sold in the book tent, and every donator was entered into a raffle for the original cover art by J’Nelle Short. The winner was announced and welcomed onstage before the countdown to the fireworks. Kids were excited for the coloring and activity sheet, which you can download here.
As families and friends picnicked and played, they were happy to share their favorite stories and memories about Gainesville. Like our protagonist Ana Green, we wanted to discover their Best Day Ever. Some looked back on how the campus has changed and grown over the years. Many shared their love for the friends they have made and the sense of belonging the have found in clubs and intramural sports.
We couldn’t have asked for a better launch for UNG Best Day Ever! Thank you to everyone who made it possible, from our spectacular authors and illustrator (who flew all the way from Texas) to University Relations and auxiliary representatives. And a big thank you to those who bought the book and supported UNG scholarships.
Since he started school at the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus, Ana Green’s dad keeps talking about his best day ever. As the Green family prepares for the annual Starlight Celebration by touring campus and visiting Gainesville landmarks, Ana is determined to discover what makes a good day great. Will Ana make the Starlight Celebration the Best Day Ever?
UNG Best Day Ever! is the second in the UNG Legacy series about the five campuses: Dahlonega, Gainesville, Cumming, Oconee, and Blue Ridge. The first book, UNG The Gold I See!, follows the Smith family as they search for UNG Dahlonega’s legendary gold.
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