As she asks the students about their own conceptions of these three values and their knowledge of African-American history, her cheerful refrain of “very good, very good” in response to each child’s contribution reveals her enthusiasm for teaching.

“We would go upstairs, and her sister and the dolls would all be around her, and Noni would have her papers out teaching class,” Carter’s father remembers.

Her mother, Denise M. Bell-Carter, affirms her daughter’s desire to use her book as a platform to promote education.

“She’s following her passion, which is to really educate, motivate, and inspire youth,” Carter’s mother says. “She just lights up when she’s able to do that.”

Around the time she began writing “Good Fortune,” Carter sent a letter to one of her favorite authors, African-American science fiction writer Tananarive Due.

Due responded and has kept in touch with Carter ever since, even penning a laudatory quote for the back of Carter’s novel.

“That’s what I hope to be,” Carter says. “That kind of author who’s always in touch with her fans.”

At the end of her speech at Banneker, Carter mentions that February is Black History Month.

She urges her young listeners to look up a figure from African-American history whom they have never heard of before—and to e-mail her with their findings.

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Over lunch in Annenberg, Carter talks about her involvement in student activities and her Expos class, insisting, “I’m a normal freshman.”

“Noni is inspirational, wonderful, and talented, but most importantly she has her head on her shoulders,” says her friend Rachel V. Byrd ’13.

Benjamin J. Likis ’13, who lives in Carter’s entryway in Canaday, says that Carter is extremely modest about her accomplishments.

“I think other people were more excited for the release of her book than she was,” Likis says.

“She’s not really about that. For her, it’s just about getting the story out there and making sure that people understand the importance of getting an education.”