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Literacy Memories
20 memories of my personal encounters with literacy, since i was born and until the present. -
Born
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Doing Math for Fun
When I was 5 and in kindergarten, I lived in Wonder Lake, IL. My mom drove a bus for special ed. Students. I would go with her because, I would be home alone. To pass the time, she would fill out a sheet of paper with math problems that were simple add, and subtract for me to fill out. When I was done with it, I would get up out of my seat and ask her to fill out another sheet for me. She would get annoyed because she could not do the sheet while she was driving. -
Picked Up an Interest in Music
When I would be riding on the bus with my mom, she would get really annoyed that I would keep pushing her to give me more math problems. She then, bought me a CD player. She mixed a CD of old school rap, Eminem, 3 doors down, metallica, and pantera. I really got my diverse liking of music. I would just listen to music and stare outside the window. -
Parents Reading to Me
When I was 7 my step-mom was really interested in the Spiderwick Chronicles. She wanted to read them, so she would read them to me. I got really into them and couldn’t wait every time I would go to my dad’s house to have Regi read to me. After we finished the books, we watched the movie that came out and we commented on them together. -
Reading to Go to Six Flags
I was 10 in the 5th grade. My school had an incentive for reading, and if you read for at least 15 minutes every night for a month the student would be able get a free six flags admission ticket. I participated and ended up not being able to get to go to six flags. I read a lot, but my mom was not able to go because of work. -
Spelling Tests
While in 6th grade, I would take spelling tests very seriously. I would always get one the best or the best score on them. I would rewrite each list three times and have my mom quiz me on all the words. This was about the only time I really studied for tests. -
Punishing for Not Doing Work
When I was in 7th and 8th grade, I wouldn’t turn in a lot of my homework and to punish me, my step mom made me read out of the reader’s digest book. She made me sit and read instead of any games or TV. I would not be able to do anything until I would turn in any of my homework. -
Using the Computer for the First Time
I was 10 and in the 6th grade at Lakewood elementary School. Our class went to the library to do research on Aztec culture and what sources were bad to use. This was the first time I had used the internet for classwork and use it for things other than games. -
Getting a Library Card
I was 11 in the 6th grade. The teachers took us on a field trip to the library in town. The entire class signed up for a membership to the library. We had to pay $10, that my mom paid for, and I felt very official to have it when I was that age. I ended up never using the library card. -
Bone Comic Series
I did not read a lot when I was a kid but I did like comic books. I had one complete series and it was Bone. I read each one the day after I got a new book. There ended only being 14 books in the series, and I could not find another series I was interested in. -
First Novel Outside of Class
I was 12 in the 7th grade. My English teacher Mrs. Naleway, had a different sense of humor and always looked so serious. She had a mini library in her room for students to check out through her. I found this book, Fallen Angels, and I was interested. It was something like I have never read before. It was about soldiers and their stories. It swore and didn’t care if children were reading. I liked it so much that I stole it and never gave it back. Also, she left the school after that year. -
Religious?
I was 13 and in the 7th grade. I didn’t go to church often enough to have a set beliefs for god, and my grandma really pushed me to read the bible and go to church more often. She got me a ticket to a play to reenact the crucifixion and I went because I didn’t really have reason to say no. I thought I felt something when I went and my grandma thought I might have been saved at that time. It turns out I went to church even less and ended up not believing in a religion. -
Spelling Bee
When I was in 7th grade, I made it into the spelling bee a second time. The first time I got out on the third word. That year I made it all the way to third. I was the last guy to be up on stage, and that is was a good accomplishment. -
First Youtube Post
I was 14 and a freshman in high school. My friend Jason, and I were trying to make trick shots on a basketball from all over my driveway. He tried this one from the middle of the street. It was his first attempt and I caught it on video. So we decided to post it to Youtube to make sure it will be recorded forever and never lost. -
Turning Point in High School
When I became a junior, I had also recently become involved in a serious relationship with someone who took school seriously. I changed my perception and had to change the path I was going down to be able to go to college and get the job I want. She motivated me to be better at school. -
DECA Nationals
Senior year in high school, I joined a business club and there was a competition for kids who wanted to pursue business in their career. I made it to state in accounting and made it to Nationals for an online accounting competition. My friend and I made far into the nationals but ended up being 12th. -
Reading for Fun
My girlfriend read a lot when she was younger, and whenever she had time she would pick up a book and read. During the summer after my senior year of high school, she had me read a book with her by John Green. I would always during my breaks at work, I would read the book. I ended up finishing it before she did. -
Faith Making Me Work
Instead of going out on the weekend and hanging with friends and possibly going to a party, Faith, and I usually when we’re together work on homework. College means a lot more to me and Faith keeps me on track and focused. I am very easily distracted and she helps me very much with that. -
Girlfriend Influencing My Writing
My girlfriend, Faith, in high school was in AP English her junior and senior year. She could write really well. I couldn’t write very well, and when I would write an essay, she would read it over. She would tell me that I pretty much sucked and made me rewrite most of the paper. -
Debate with a Friend
I was 18 and in college. One day after class, my friend, Keshawn, and I went to another one of my friend’s house. We had just finished our Spanish class and it was shortly after the election of the president. I had a stupid debate with Keshawn. He became really upset when he knew he was wrong so he started to get very loud and saying lines like, black lives matter and that I am racist. I won the argument. He was messing around, but it gave me experience with debates and trying to prove my point. -
College Paper
My first research paper I have ever done was my freshman year of college. I spent over a total of 78 hours either writing, rewriting, or the actual research for the paper. I worked harder on that paper than any other paper ever.
