To Read or Not to Read by Cara

To Read or Not to Read by Cara - January 2025 Scholarship Essay

Reading was my nemesis. When I was in second grade, I hated reading, and I refused to read anything. I wanted nothing to do with reading at all and I avoided reading at all costs. My disdain for reading may have been a result of missing my dad, because at the time he was incarcerated for embezzling money from his employer and it was really hard for me to think of anything else other than the fact that I missed him. However, my refusal to read was causing me difficulty, since everything requires reading. In fact, I had to have my mom read the emails my dad sent from prison because I could not do that myself. What is worse, is that most of the kids in my class were reading chapter books and excelling in reading, when I could not even read basic words. I felt extremely insecure until my teacher, Ms. Zapeda, stepped in and saved me from myself.

One day, Ms. Zepeda asked me why I hated reading so much, to which I replied, “It’s so hard, and there are so many words.” I also explained that I did not like reading aloud and felt very embarrassed about my lack of aptitude. Right then and there Ms. Zapenda metaphorically scooped me up and made it her mission to teach me to read. She was convinced that I could read, and even love reading. I was not convinced, but I needed to learn this important skill.

Despite having an entire class of children to teach, Ms. Zapeda personally worked with me daily on learning to read. Ms. Zapenda set aside time each day to work with me to improve my skills. She took into account all of my insecurities, particularly with regard to reading aloud and I never felt insecure about reading when I was with Ms. Zapeda. She knew I needed help and she took extra care to make sure that I learned to read. To assist with my reading comprehension, she allowed me to read passages to myself and then explain to her what was occurring in the passage. She took this creative approach to assess and grade my abilities and progress.

Before I realized what was happening, not only was I reading for school, I was reading books for fun! Ms. Zapeda even encouraged the school librarian to join her on her mission to teach me to love reading. Ms. Zapeda asked the librarian to point out a couple of books that might help to engage me, which is when I discovered a book series called A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler). These books were a fantastic entry into the world of fiction. I read these books many times over, as I loved the characters and stories. This launched me into repeatedly losing track of time, as I continued reading numerous other books. I began reading books that took place in the past and some in the future; some were mysteries, while other books were love stories, but always a variety of genres. While I have read non-fiction books too, I have always preferred losing myself in the world of fiction. I finally realized a true love for reading. Had it not been for Ms. Zapenda’s kindness and focus on helping me become literate, I may not have ever realized my potential.

I do not have many outlets to be creative but reading and writing have gifted me with astounding worlds. Some of these worlds are my own creation, while others come from the imaginative minds of authors who I have been fortunate enough to explore. The stories I read allow me to escape into a world I would not otherwise explore. Ms. Zepeda changed my life as I now use reading to help with stress or anxiety, which immediately falls away when I crack the spine of a new book and start reading a remarkable story.

My passion for reading started very slowly but exploded as I continued to explore books. Ms. Zapeda’s goal to teach me to love reading, evolved and inspired me to write. I began writing a fiction romance thriller and I would like to learn more about the writing process and maybe even publish my book one day. I will continue to read and write in the future, as I believe these hobbies are productive outlets that have graciously provided me with inspirational opportunities.

Not only did Ms. Zepeta inspire me to read and write, she also influenced and inspired my Bat Mitzvah project when I was thirteen years old. For my Mitzvah Project, I collected and donated books to children who are less fortunate than I am, at the Downtown Women’s Shelter. I was successful in collecting and donating almost 200 books to the shelter. I hope that the books I donated will encourage children like me to read and experience the world of literature. Ms. Zapeda changed my life and my future for the better, for which I will forever be grateful.