Christine Neuner took the first step toward becoming an internationally published author because of a challenge by a NISH homecoming queen.

Neuner, a 38-year education veteran and a teacher at New Iberia Senior High, participated with 149 other teachers from across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico in training by The Freedom Writers Foundation in 2007. Now, those teachers have contributed stories to Teaching Hope: Stories from Freedom Writer Teachers and Erin Gruwell; foreword by Anna Quindlen, which comes out today.

The profits from the book will go to a scholarship for educators.

Christine Neuner thumbs through the pages of Teaching Hope: Stories from Freedom Writer Teachers and Erin Gruwell, which comes out today. MARY CATHARINE MARTIN / THE DAILY IBERIAN Advertisement

Neuner is holding a reading and book signing at Books Along the Teche this evening. Seventy-six other participants across the U.S. and Canada will also be holding launches.

This book comes 10 years after Gruwell’s and students’ “The Freedom Writers Diary,” which was made into a feature film. Neuner was first introduced to that book through a student recommendation, as well.

Over the past three years of participation and conversation in the foundation, Neuner has learned some new teaching techniques — and she’s been reinforced in some techniques she already used. Many of those techniques focus on interactive learning.

“If you engage the student, you empower them,” Neuner said.

The 150 freedom writer teachers were a “merry mixed band” of social workers, guidance counselors, principals and a mayor who attempted to be “the one who made the difference, who saw you and pushed you to find out who you wanted to become” every day, according to the book’s foreword.

Stories range from those at elementary schools to universities, public schools to charter schools, and first-year teachers to veterans like Neuner.

Though all 150 submissions are anonymous, readers should have no difficulty recognizing Neuner’s: it mentions New Iberia, and is a composite of several girls told as the story of two after Hurricane Katrina.

In addition to her almost four decades of teaching, Neuner also facilitates the Student Teaching and Reaching (STAR) education class at the school, is an adjunct professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Louisiana State University at Eunice and is a regional captain assisting other authors with their book launches in Lou-isiana, Alabama and Missis-sippi.

The book signing is at 7 p.m. today at Books along the Teche.