Fairfield, CA (October 8, 2025) — Under the guidance of teacher Mrs. Shawna Hafner, countless students over the years have proudly become published authors, sharing their creativity through original stories and illustrations. Hafner’s grade students go through the entire publishing process with the help of Studentreasures.com, typically creating two books each year. The class works together to choose a theme, brainstorm and write, illustrate their pages, and finally, celebrate with a professionally bound book in their hands.
In spring 2025, her 2nd grade students at Laurel Creek completed a classroom book that was a realistic fiction story tackling the emotions of losing something irreplaceable — and the hope that helps you through it. The title of the book is “The Everyday Hero”.
“Last year’s story grew from my grandchildren’s experiences of losing their beloved stuffed animals,” said Mrs. Hafner. “Many students have lived through that same heartbreak, so the book became about more than a toy. It’s about handling emotions, not giving up hope, and finding resilience in life’s little storms. The joy my students feel when they hold their finished book is absolutely priceless.”
To ensure that every child received their own copy last year, Hafner applied for and received support from the Solano Community Foundation. In the past, she had often purchased books out of her own pocket, sometimes spending hundreds of dollars each year so her students could treasure their work for a lifetime.
“This is the kind of teaching that leaves a lifelong impact,” said Laurel Creek Principal Lucius McKelvy. “Mrs. Hafner’s commitment to her students goes far beyond academics.”
“Mrs. Hafner exemplifies the ways in which our teachers go above and beyond for their students,” said FSUSD Superintendent Jennifer Sachs. “She is showing her students that their voices matter, that they can create something lasting, and that their ideas are worth sharing with the world.”
One of Hafner’s previous class books, The Math Lesson, became a finalist in a nationwide contest put on by Studentreasures Publishing in 2022–2023, competing against more than 77,000 entries.
For her students, the experience is transformative. “When I saw our book, I felt like a real author,” said one student. “I showed my whole family, and they were so proud. Now I want to keep writing more books!”
