“Follow your Dream” …was an educational program created and presented by Evelyn Gallardo in more than 500 schools and 100s of libraries, zoos and other venues worldwide from 1986 to 2006.

The program’s goals were to empower students to help endangered apes and to encourage one million children to follow their dreams. This 7-minute video was sent to schools prior to Evelyn’s visit to prepare their students for the event.

Evelyn: Hello, I’m Evelyn Gallardo, children’s author and wildlife photographer. While growing up in East Los Angeles I often dreamed of traveling. As a child I loved reading and writing. Books were my passport to the world.

My fascination with great apes stems from childhood. When I first saw the movie “King Kong,” I fell in love with the legendary king of the apes. I thought that no one understood him like I did.  Now my favorite place to be is in the rain forest photographing gorillas, orangutans and other primates.

My husband and I have traveled to some of the remotest places on earth including Borneo, Rwanda, Nepal, India, Costa Rica and the Amazon.  I eventually wrote a book called “Among the Orangutans” and now I work as an author and a photographer going to schools talking to kids about saving orangutans.

School Principal: Good morning boys and girls.

Students: Good morning.

School Principal: Today is a very special day here at Rosemount. We have for real author with us today.

Teacher: We‘re very excited about this and I know all of you are very excited and what I think is very special is that every one of you prepared for this visit.  In the classrooms you talked about Evelyn Gallardo’s book “Among the Orangutans” and now you get to meet her personally, which is just a real treat.”

Evelyn Gallardo grew up very close to here and went on to travel around the world.  She is a globe trotting author who has been to the rain forests of Borneo and Indonesia as well as studying the gorillas in Africa and she’s here to tell you all about it. So, ladies and gentlemen, Evelyn Gallardo.

Evelyn: My heritage I’m Mexican American, soy Mexicana-Americana. And my great grandfather was a curandero, a folk healer and he used to tell me these wonderful stories about the plants and the animals, y me contaba cuento stan  lindos sobre las plantas y los animals. So, my great grandfather helped to nurture my love of nature.

Evelyn:  The gorilla greeting sounds like this, um-um-wuam, um-um-wuam.  Ready, your turn and um-um-wuam, um-um-wuam.  Sounds excellent!  Sounds really good.

Evelyn (face-to-face with a gorilla): I sat there for a few minutes. It wasn’t very comfortable.  I saw a gorilla coming up to a side of the volcano walking right towards me. I then he knuckle walked over to me.  Gorillas like to look in your eyes all the time. (Evelyn face-to-face with a student) He walked over to me and he got this close (students laugh).

Evelyn: I speak to children to help them discover that they do have the power to create positive changes.  I also encourage them to pursue science and writing carriers.

In 1984 I wrote a letter from the heart to Dr. Dian Fossey saying that I wanted to volunteer to help her in her struggle to save the mountain gorillas. Dian responded with an invitation to her research centre in Rwanda.  My wildest dream to help the real King Kong came about through the power of writing.  Another dream led me to Borneo to work with the orangutan authority Dr. Birute Galdikas.  She’s often compared to Jane Goodhall.

Jane Goodall: “I know Dian Fossey very well and Louis Leakey picked me, he picked Dian, he picked Birute, so I suppose she’ll do a great job too.

Evelyn: Thank you for taking this brief moment to get to know me. I’d love to show your students how good reading and writing skills will help them succeed.  I look forward to sharing my adventures and to encouraging your students to follow their wildest dreams.  And I look forward to your invitation to visit your school soon.

Evelyn to Students: I want to thank you all for coming today and for being so such a wonderful audience.  Follow your dreams!

Credits

David Root           —  1^st Cameraman

George Bell          —   2^nd Cameraman

Post Production   —-  Woodholly Studios

Filmed on Location:

Rwanda

Borneo

Sumbawa

Rosemount Elementary, Los Angeles, CA