English by Gloria

English by Gloria - December 2016 Scholarship Essay

Pursuing English
Standing in my third grade attendance line, principal Lioy spoke of a reading contest. Whoever read one million words first in a span of a couple of weeks will win a prize. Immediately I was intrigued by the idea of winning a prize just for reading. I began to read every night and logged in how many words I read on the given reading log. After turning in my reading log to my third grade teacher, a couple of days later Mr. Lioy announced the winner during morning announcement. As he congratulated all who participated, he then stated, “I am proud to announce the winner of the One Million Words Read contest...Perla Flores.” All the kids and teachers were applauding and congratulating me. I was flabbergasted, even more so when Mr. Lioy called me to join him in front of the entire school to give a small speech. Walking timidly I faced the entire crowd, thanked Mr. Lioy, my fellow peers and teachers. The prize was revealed to be a certificate in which I could attend a book fair in Downtown Los Angeles and get as many books as I please. Excited, my third grade teacher,mom, sister and I went to the book fair the following week. I choose a variety of books, from R.L Stine’s, Goosebumps to Megan McDonald’s, Judy Moody.
Ever since this experience I was fascinated with the academic subject of literature and English. There is something about an author’s use of language that gives you an fascinating insight into viewing the world in a different perspective. Continuing to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject such as, AP English language and AP American Literature I have gained knowledge on how to analyze and create works of literature of my own. Growing up with Spanish as my first language and first generation American, this subject has influenced given me confidence to pursue a career in this subject and eventually teach students of my own.