Here my friend Shannon and I stand on 34th Street in front of the Manhattan Center in New York City for Oprah's Big Give Casting Call--16 degrees and snowing.

We got there at 5 am. We were wearing about 3 layers and had toe/hand warmers. It was still FREEZING cold!

I tried out in Nashville, but I didn't make the cut. In New York, as "Mighty Ms. Mitochondrion", I made it to the "Maybe" round!

This was the line of people AFTER I left the building!

Aaahhh, the wonderful curiosity of 11 year olds! I could see the wheels turning as I taught a lesson about mitochondria at one of our local elementary schools.

When I visit a school, I talk about mitochondrial function, career paths, and voluntarism. I have a slideshow, and I can make you a DVD of one of my visits if you want to visit your child's classroom.

If you'd like for me to come to your school, please email me!

I had a friend make this costume so I could be a life-size visual of a mitochondrion. The green represents the outer membrane, and the white is the inner membrane, which Jack Black signed for me.

The black outline represents the cristae, and the gray is the matrix.

I will visit any classroom, 5th grade or above, but I think 5th and 6th graders enjoy it the most.