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When I turned 5, I started getting involved with dance. I started with ballet and tap but as I continued dancing, I started to find other styles that suited me better. I was a dancer for about 12 straight years and I found that I can express myself not only through words, but through music and body language. Although dance classes are very structured, my friends and I would always have music on and we would have little competitions which created such a strong bond for us.

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For my 6th birthday, my whole family took a trip to Disney and I remember absolutely loving the experience. My mom, being the creative person she is, was really big into scrapbooking and wanted to document our trip. I remember my mom and I would sit at the kitchen table before bed and create pages and pages for our book. It was a fun way to be creative but also helped build the relationship I have with her.

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When I started 5th grade, I started playing the flute with my best friend. At my school, this was the first year anyone could join band so you can probably guess they hype of starting an instrument. Here, I had to learn to read music and let me tell you... it was hard. For the singular year I was in band, I really enjoyed the environment and sounds we produced but the flute just wasn't my thing. Although I didn't stick with it, I was able to learn a bit about music theory and how music can be a way to express oneself.

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In 2010, I had started enjoying photography. My uncle would always have a camera out at family parties and took the coolest pictures. For Christmas that year, I had gotten a nice camera and I took it everywhere. My favorite pictures to take are random objects outside. A lot of times, we take the small things for granted, like nature, so photography was a fun way to enjoy the beauty in the world around me. It also allowed me to bring attention to things I thought were important.

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In 2014, I had moved from  Monee to New Lenox. The transition to this new town was very frustrating because all of the sudden I had started struggling tremendously in school, specifically reading classes. Although it was a bit of a rocky change, I now realize that I have always struggled with reading I just never received the right help. At my new school, my teacher put me in a reading program so I could practice and work with other students to gain confidence in my education again. I specifically remember reading about Dolly the sheep. I was stuck on this article for a while because I didn't feel like doing the work. When I finally finished the story, I realized it was actually really interesting and this started my excitement for reading again.

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In 2016, one of my good friends invited me to her house to hang out and showed me a journal she had that she wrote in every day. I though it sounded like a fun idea so I wanted to try it. I don't write in my journal every day but I like to use it when I'm stressed out. Sometimes simply writing something down takes a huge weight off your shoulders. When I write my emotions, I am able to better understand certain situations and brainstorm ways to deescalate. I also like writing in my journal when something exciting happens. Its always fun to look back and read through my past thoughts and see how much I have grown. This technique I use has also seemed to help me enjoy writing and expressing my feelings.

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Although these memories may feel very distant, they have helped shaped my understanding of literacy and overall shaped who I am as a person. Through trial and error, I was able to find some literacies that have stuck with me to this day. And for the literacies that haven't stuck, they further taught me the importance of finding what works best for you as an individual. To be literate is to be able to interpret and understand other literacies. Its also important to be able to create your own literacies to express your individual identity.

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As a future educator, I think its important for students to express themselves and learn through their interests. I personally struggled in middle school because I couldn't focus in a classroom all day. Some students are more visual learners where as others learn best listening. Some students need may have more energy and need learning breaks. I also have learned a lot about building confidence in your education because of my struggles. Its important to make sure every student is staying on track and understands the criteria. Literacy is so important for students to learn to further their education.