Literacy History

    Hi, my name is Oreofeoluwa Isabel Gidado. My first name means Grace of God. I am from a big Nigerian family, and education and culture are very important to my family. I feel like after our relationship with God; academic validation follows it directly in order of importance. I am a student athlete but didn’t start till my middle school years, occupying my weekends with sports. When I was younger, my weekends were filled with library trips with my grandma and tutoring at the YMCA with the occasional rec sports. Perfect attendance certificates and honors were the accolades my parents adored. Although I can’t recall the first words I’ve read by myself, I still have the book called “Runaway Bunny” and “Goodnight Moon” that used to by read to me every night. In the back of one of those pages is a note from my preschool teacher saying how proud of me she is. Till this day, that book still stays on my bookshelf. From a young age, my parents always made it a point and case to be intentional about what I consumed, watched, listened to, and played. Barney and Friends, Team Umizoomi, Blue’s Clues, you name it, I watched it if it was educational. So much so that SpongeBob had a passcode on my TV because it was a show that my parents felt encouraged stupidity. Maybe back then it felt restricting, but I always knew my parents wanted what was best for my siblings and I. Filtering what I watched and listened to did set me apart from my classmates because I never felt like anything was a struggle; if anything, I felt like I was always 5 steps ahead. When it came to more advanced books, I found myself enjoying the Junie B. Jones and The Magic Tree House Series. My teachers always said I was an advanced reader and encouraged me to read at higher levels. If I had to pick a role model, it would be my parents and seeing how their education led them to work in cool places. I remember very vividly how on Bring Your Child to Work Day since my mom worked in a lab, we were able to mix chemicals in a volcano, learn about the 5-second rule, and dress up with lab coats and goggles, so the bar has always been set high. It wasn’t till I was older that reading was never my thing; I just didn’t enjoy it as much, dosing off mid-sentence, and finding it hard to find books that interested me. Only when I was assigned a book to read for a class or assignment did I have a book in my hand. I was never a book by a beach girl, but a volleyball at the beach girl. I always wondered how my sister was eager to take Barnes and Noble trips and easily submerge herself into books. It’s not until this summer that I realized the knowledge books hold and how overlooked they are. It’s not a thing most people enjoy but can be used as a weapon; the power that words in a book hold in unbelievable, opening new thoughts and methods you have never thought of before. This summer I learned so much about subjects that interest me like finance and investing. Which I was grateful to my uncle for since when we went to his house this summer, all the finance and developmental books I had on my bucket list he has read and given to me to now read. I not only got books but opened another doorway of topics to speak about that interest me. Being literate, especially financially, is a huge goal of mine, and through reading, I get more knowledgeable day by day.  I believe my eagerness to learn and make a positive impact is the reason behind my numerous accolades, including the position of Class Vice President.