Kaitlin Pugh

August 27, 2014

Final Draft
Fredrick Douglass, leader of the abolitionist movement, once said, Once you
learn to read, you will forever be free. This quote means that no matter what your

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tag, it may strengthen your opening.

background, your level of education, or your struggles you can always escape through
reading. It took me awhile to become an advanced reader and realize this, but once I did
it helped me escape whenever I needed. Never give up on learning how to read properly,

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http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/gr
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no matter what your age. There is still a chance for you to go above and beyond anyones
expectations like I did.
I was born and raised in a small town that I loved, but would never be able to give
me the education I needed to get to where I am today. As soon as my parents made this
realization they started their search for a public school with a better education system. In
one month I was out of Jamestown Elementary School and into Canon-McMillan

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introductory elements:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/com
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Elementary School. Canon Mac is in Cecil Township, which was voted as the eighth best
place in America to raise your family. It received this title not only because of its low
crime rate, but also because of its astounding education system. No matter how amazing
it was supposed to be, moving to a new school was extremely hard and I didnt
understand that my parents were looking out for my best interest. Now, however, I cant
thank them enough for saving my education.
I was in second grade when I moved and several of my academic abilities were
exceptionally low. Unlike my classmates, I could not write in cursive, read a clock, or do
simple subtraction. The biggest issue of all though was my reading rate. My new school
was able to recognize that I was at the same reading level as a kindergartener, which is
why I was put into a special class. I remember the first day I was called out in front of
my class to go to some a dark room that no kid ever wanted to go to. Of course I was

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way, below the blue box. Quotation marks are not
for emphasis.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/mar
ks/quotation.htm

Kaitlin Pugh
August 27, 2014
Final Draft
nervous, it wasnt like any other classroom and everyone knew it was for the less
intellectual children in my class. However, once I was in there it was not scary at all. I

Comment [W5]: Comma splice:

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/gr
ammar/how-to-avoid-a-common-comma-errorthe-comma-splice

remember feeling relieved when I would get called down to Mrs. Burnakowskis room. I
finally felt comfortable around other children in my grade that read the same way I did
and no one there would make fun of me either. I dont remember much of the actual
class, but I know I got the help I needed. Soon, I would become a more advanced reader
than most kids in my class. Although I was fortunate enough to have my stutter and slow

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https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/60
1/04/

reading rate caught early, not all people are. However, thats no reason for you to be
ashamed of yourself or lose hope on ever learning how to be a proficient reader.

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http://english.tjc.edu/jbru/grammar/second.htm

Fourth grade arrived and I was no longer in my special reading class with Mrs.
Burnakowski, instead I was above most students my age. As well, I had gotten help in
other subjects that I was lacking in when I moved to Canon-McMillan, such as writing
and math. Once I was in fifth grade I was accepted into the SOAR program. SOAR was
for kids who needed more of a challenge in the classroom, and from what I remember,
especially in math and science. In my eyes, this still was not my greatest achievement. As
a sixth grader, I was allowed to take trips to my old elementary school to be a reading
buddy along with some of my other classmates. Not only was I able to tutor kids
younger than myself, but also I was able to tutor kids who were going through the same
exact problem I did. This meant a lot to me, and should be a lesson for you. Not only was
I able to become just as well of a reader as my other classmates, but also I was able to go
above and beyond their levels. Just because you learn to read later than others doesnt

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mean you never have a chance of becoming that amazing reader that you are envious of.

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Kaitlin Pugh
August 27, 2014
Final Draft
Someday you may be able to be just as good or better than they are, and maybe also be
thankful for your difficult path just like I am now.
Today I still consider myself an advanced reader, although there are no more
required tests at our age that tell me so. I consider this true because I read on a daily

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especially preachy.
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http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/gr
ammar/are-you-annoyingly-redundant

basis. I dont think the importance of reading is just to educate ourselves on new topics
and broaden our views on subjects, but also for much more. As a teenager with
depression books were always a part of my daily healing process. My mom is still
convinced books are part of the reason I am depressed because I lose myself in them, but

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http://www.writingclasses.com/WritersResourc
es/AskTheWriterDetail.php?ID=235
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books are actually what saves me sometimes. On those really hard days where I just want
to escape the world I am living in, I dont do something to threaten my life, but I read a
book. People think its a bad thing that I do this instead of dealing with my problems. The
thing is that sometimes you just dont know how to deal with your problems anymore, so

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its good to find a safe way to help you cope. While reading might not be the easiest thing
for you, I encourage you to keep trying to learn because you never know if it might be

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I stopped highlighting it for you.
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that one thing that can save you.

Many people who excel in life have had a rough patch. Mine was reading, and

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since I was able to go through such a hard time I am able to appreciate the ability to read
more than most people. Never give up if youre having difficulty learning to do
something. Whether it is reading, or mathematics, or maybe even athletics, you never
know what you may find yourself succeeding at down the road.

Comment [W13]: How does this help you now

that youre a college student?