BEING A ROYAL READER is a source of so much pride. But, the accomplishment wouldn’t be possible without all the people helping you be a great reader behind the scenes—especially teachers and parents. Your teachers are the ones who work tirelessly and provide you with the tools to help you succeed. My English teachers make me read novels, and increase my love of reading. They are the ones who stand at the front of the classroom every day and teach you vocabulary, even when sometimes, it goes in our ears and out the other. They are the ones that never give up on us. Your parents are the ones who wake up at the crack of dawn and drive you to school, and make sure you complete all of your homework. They also take you to the library so you can read all the books you want. Royal Readers, when you see your teachers, be sure to give them a big high five. And when you see your parents, be sure to give them a huge hug. But don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back for this amazing goal you have achieved. Appreciate yourself as well, because you are the one who has been reading and testing on all of these books to make it to two million words. Two million is a big number. In fact, two million-dollar bills stacked up is as tall as 60 story building. Just imagine how many words you had to read to become an IDEA Royal Reader! Wherever we go, all the places we see, whether across the world or at the local grocery store, there are words everywhere. They are there on billboards on the side of highway advertising the new Nike Dri-FIT technology, or trying to persuade you to donate 10 cents a day for a child in need. They tell you where to go. Look around. Words are everywhere. Now imagine if you didn’t know how to read. Imagine if all those letters were just "mumbo jumbo" and symbols that didn’t make any sense. You can claim that you’d be fine, but you wouldn’t. More than 80 million children struggle every day because they are illiterate, which means they can’t read.* So consider yourself lucky. You wouldn’t have been able to read all the incredible books that got you here. You are rewarded every second that you are reading. Sometimes a book can be companion when no one else is. When times are rough, you can open a good book, snuggle up in covers, and transfer yourself into another world. You feel like you’re right there with the main characters. Some people might give you weird looks if you laugh out loud in the AR Zone when reading, but that’s okay. Some books might make you cry, but it’s okay to show your tears when characters go through tough times. Some books might make you happy when you’re down.
My name is Clarissa Rodriguez, and I’m an 8th grader, and a mighty Colt from IDEA Weslaco.
Clarissa follows the belief that all books, no matter what, give you knowledge.
One thing is for sure, all books, no matter what, give you knowledge. Not just vocabulary, or how to write better stories or essays, but lessons in life, such as how to deal with the loss of a loved one, move to another state, or stay determined to accomplish a goal. Never be afraid to show your love for books. It’s simply brave to open a book and be captivated by the mesmerizing words.
Get To Know Clarissa Name: Clarissa Rodriguez Grade: 8th Favorite food: Mexican food or pizza Dream College: University of California, Davis
* https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/global-rate-of-adult-literacy84-per-cent-but-775-million-people-still-cant-read/article4528932/
IMPACT WINTER 2017
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