Vues 1 Sonny Vue Professor Camargo English 1101 Literacy Memoir Literacy Sponsors The first thing that

comes to mind when I hear the term, sponsors of literacy, are my English teachers, my mother and father, and books that I have read throughout my lifetime. As a freshman in college, I am still developing as a reader and a writer. My goal is to work my way towards becoming a better writer, which will prepare me for the working world and to write future essays for my undergraduate classes. Literacy is used everywhere and I believe that having great literacy skills will be beneficial for me in the long run. If literacy never existed, then documenting history and educating the community and population would be nearly impossible and quite a challenge. First and foremost, my parents are definitely my biggest literacy sponsors; they have always encouraged and motivated me to excel in my schoolwork and to strive for higher education. This encouragement stems from my parents wanting their children to have a bright and successful future. Both my parents graduated with high school degrees and worked in various manufacturing companies. My parents married at a young age and both struggled with job and financial security raising our family. In addition, they struggled with comprehending and speaking the English language, which made communication difficult with the English speaking community. My parents did not want any of us to struggle as much as they had when they first moved to the United States from Laos. They put forth all their energy to work long hard hours and to get paid very little. With the very little money they made, they made certain

Vues 2 that their children had enough food to eat, even if they did not eat. It always saddens my heart to know that my mother sacrificed so many things such as eating and sleeping to ensure that her children were all healthy and full. My parents wanted my siblings and I to build knowledge through education to ensure that we would have a good job with benefits and good pay. My parents always held high hopes that one day my siblings and I will be able to live the American dream through education and experience. As a child growing up, my parents always pushed me to complete my weekly assignments because they knew that repetition would be the key to learning. Without my parents pushing me to do my best and become studious, I would not be where I am today. I am now fulfilling their dreams along with my own dreams of obtaining further education in order to find a successful and stable career in the near future. My ultimate motivation is to make my parents proud by aiming to complete my undergraduate education, continue my education, find a successful career, and give back to my parents and the Hmong and Lao community. On the other hand, the ability to learn how to read and write was a process I learned through my English teachers from elementary school through high school. I remember constantly being quizzed on vocabulary words, concepts, and themes from the assigned readings. This constant quizzing shaped me to become a sharp student. I also had to write many essays about cultures, history, my vacation trips, and my interests. With the assistance of my English teachers, I learned how to construct an essay by enhancing my writing skills with details and information. Although, my English teachers did play a role by assisting me with my writing skills and my reading comprehension, they also contributed by enhancing my communication skills. They taught me how to use proper English and how to enjoy public speaking. Similar to my parents, my English teachers were very supporting and encouraging.

Vues 3 In spite of learning how to read, write, and communicate, reading has always intrigued me. Sometimes I feel that others would view those who read many books as a nerdy bookworm. As a child, I enjoyed reading and did not once believe that the phrase nerdy bookworm was a correct correlation to me or others. If anything, reading books contributed towards the development of vocabulary, grammar, and critical thinking skills that would be applied to writing. Reading is not only significant, but vital in the fact that it develops essential skills for increased literacy. I have read many books and to name a few, The Magic Tree House series and The Series of Unfortunate Events were two of my favorite books which I found extremely interesting. These books encouraged me to read and retain information. Reading leisurely was enjoyable because it did not include the pressure of writing a paper, or the continuance of being forced to memorize certain words and their definitions. It was a fun and a great way to develop necessary skills for writing. Conversely, over time reading books became a chore, specifically when I was in high school. High school textbooks such as the English literature contained some of the most uninteresting information; and as a high school student I ended up dreading chapter after chapters of bland context. I had to oblige myself to read all the required materials in high school to receive a positive consent of a high grade. Sadly, after high school I never got back into reading due to my horrible experiences with dull high school textbooks that I found no interest in. In summary, after reminiscing about what the term literacy sponsor means to me and who my literacy sponsors were, I concluded that the term signifies my parents, my English teachers, and books I enjoyed reading. As I reminisce about my literacy sponsors, I realized that each holds a significant place in my life. Without literacy, simple tasks or skills such as navigating, ordering food at a restaurant, and communicating with others would be impossible

Vues 4 without the aid of my literacy sponsors guiding me. Whether the experience was of a positive or a negative one, my literacy sponsors affected me in one way or another, and I am grateful to have acquired such experience and knowledge making me the person I am today.