Maya Heidt

UWRT
WF 9:30-10:45
Then and Now: My Progression as A Writer
Literacy: the ability to read and write. Not all people have the same literacy
because of the way they were taught. I could not pick a single thing that influenced my
literacy because I believe that there are two very important factors that helped shape me
as the literate person I am today. My family contributed, as well as, being a part of the
yearbook staff. Without the aid of these people/situations, I would not be the
reader/writer that I am today.
Reading was always a huge deal in my house. My mom would take my sister and
I to the South County Library at least once a week, if not more. Wed stay there for hours
reading books. If somebody wasnt reading to us wed be playing games on the computer
and listening to tapes. After a few hours passed we would always pick out the books we
wanted to read for the next couple of days. We often came home with as many as twodozen books at a time. We loved reading.
Before I could read by myself, one of my parents would read to us. Each day we
had designated times to read. Before lunch, after lunch and before bed. As I listened to
my parents read to me I would ask, Mom what is this word? What does it mean? She
would would then explain it to me, further enhancing my growing vocabulary. I would
repeat after her over and over again to make sure that word was completely etched into
my brain. Seeing the words and saying them at the same time really helped me set a
foundation on learning how to read.
In order to get me to read my mom would say, If you dont know how to read
before kindergarten theyre not going to let you in. She knew how badly I wanted to go

Maya Heidt
UWRT
WF 9:30-10:45
to school so she used this as a incentive to force me to learn. That whole summer before I
started school I had one thing on my mind. Learn to read or you cant go to school. I was
determined. Nothing was going to stop me from going to school.
After my mom told me this, I focused and paid more attention than ever as she
read to me. I asked a lot of questions and tried repeating sentence after sentence. We read
many books and I had my fair share that I enjoyed reading; however, there was this one
that I specifically remember, Clifford the Big Red Dog. It was my absolute favorite book.
Both of my parents would read this to me umpteen times a day. I couldnt get enough.
When they werent reading it to me I was trying to piece together to words into sentences
so I could eventually read it to myself. I practiced and practiced and then after countless
hours of studying the pages I could finally read the whole book. All by myself.
As soon as I could reach a phone, I picked it up and called my grandmother. So
excited, I could barely get my words out, I said, Grammy, I know how to read now!
Listen!
I read her the whole book with little mistakes. She was so proud of me. I was
proud of myself. It was the first time anyone has ever heard me read aloud. I felt a rush. It
was one of the most exciting moments that I can remember. I accomplished the one thing
I needed to that summer. I finally learned how to read. I no longer needed the help from
my parents. I could open a book and read it from start to finish. No problems. But most
importantly, I could go to kindergarten.

Maya Heidt
UWRT
WF 9:30-10:45
Without the help from my parents, I couldnt have done it. My parents reading to
me every night and going over lots of words with me really established the basics for me
learning to how to read.
I took those reading skills and strategies I used when I was four and applied them
to every reading I have ever done since then. If I dont understand something, I reread it.
If I dont know a word, I ask someone or I look it up. No matter how old you are these
skills will always help you understand any writing.
After a few years of reading experience we began to start writing in school. See,
writing has always been a struggle for me. Im not a creative person and it was very
difficult for me to figure out what I wanted to write about. Every time a teacher assigned
an essay I wanted to crawl under my desk and never come back out. It was the worst
thing anyone could make me do.
When it came time to actually start writing and composing my paper, my mind
would go blank. I couldnt think of anything to write about. Even if I had the slightest
idea, it went away. Vanished. Completely disappeared. I would stare at my notebook for
hours with nothing written down on my paper. Not one word. Id begin to feel like an
idiot and get discouraged.
When I finally started writing it, it was trash and insanely boring. No descriptions.
No hook. Nothing. Id turn in my paper and there would be mass amounts of mistakes.
Red pen corrections everywhere. Id come home from school crying because I thought I
wasnt smart. This happened with almost every single paper because I was scared to ask

Maya Heidt
UWRT
WF 9:30-10:45
for assistance. Luckily my mom is a phenomenal writer. She noticed I had been
struggling and asked me if I needed help on my next paper. Of course I said, yes.
First I wrote the paper how I thought I should and then she would read over it and
correct it just like my teacher would. Id go back and rewrite it fixing my mistakes until I
got it correct. She helped me with my grammar, sentence structure and wording. My
mom guided me with each paper and suddenly I started to see an improvement in my
grades. All throughout middle school and high school my mom would help me with all
my papers. Even though she was still helping me once I got older, I didnt make as many
errors. My sophomore year of high school, I began to feel more confident about my
writing skills and decided I would apply to be on the yearbook staff.
In order to be on the yearbook staff you had to fill out an application and give the
teacher a sample of your writing. I was so nervous to about this and stressed over it for
days. We were required to write about why we wanted to be on yearbook staff and how
we could positively contribute to it. I turned it in on the deadline and waited nervously
for an answer. I wanted to be on the yearbook staff so badly. I wanted my name to be
under the writing and I wanted the pictures to come from my camera.
After a few days I got called to Mrs. Mikloss room. She was the yearbook
teacher. I knew that this was the moment of truth. I was about to find out if I made the
yearbook staff. I sat down in front of her desk and she pulled out the sample of my
writing. Maya, this is great. You really seem like a good student to have working on our
yearbook, she said. I had the biggest smile on my face. I knew that I succeeded. I was
very excited.

Maya Heidt
UWRT
WF 9:30-10:45
Many people think being in a yearbook class is an easy A; well they should think
again. It was probably one of the most difficult classes I took in high school. Once classes
started, we had to meet deadlines almost immediately. Id spend an hour and a half in
school working on the book and then about another two each day when I got home. It was
no joke. Luckily, my first year on staff went so well that I became an editor my junior
and senior year. Even though it consumed a lot of my time, I loved it.
I was constantly running around interviewing, as well as getting quotes and
pictures from various students and staff members. Then with those quotes I would have
to construct a whole page of copy. With those pictures I had to write captions. Let me tell
you, writing captions is an art. Its more difficult than writing a paper and its only three
sentences.
We had hundreds of pages due every other week. On those pages included a ton
of writing. Guess who did the writing. Me. I wasnt the only one but I did complete a
huge portion of the writings.
My teacher was a yearbook Nazi. She took her job seriously and nothing was
perfect for her. I would give her a paper that I wrote and there would be red ink
everywhere, just like there was when I was in elementary and middle school. Id go back
and correct it and something else would be wrong. I could never win. After many, many
attempts on correcting the same paper it was finally ready to turn in. This was the process
for about every single thing I wrote throughout my years on the staff. Every year, we
were recognized by the state, and sometimes even nationally for how great our book was.

Maya Heidt
UWRT
WF 9:30-10:45
Our copy was always superb and our pictures were candid. It was fulfilling. I was so
proud of myself and the other staff members for all our hard work. Every year.
Without the help of my family I would not be the literate person I am today. If
they did not read with me or help me correct my mistakes in my writings I dont know
where I would be. They taught me skills that I have used my whole life and that I will
continue to use for resumes, college essays, business papers and more. If I never got help
with writing I wouldnt have been a part of the yearbook staff. My mom and my
yearbook teacher helped me tremendously with all the mistakes they corrected me on. I
would have been lost without them.
Although my writing has improved so much since I first started in elementary
school, I believe there is always room for improvement. I can somehow always make a
paper better no matter how perfect I think it is. Writing is an art that some people spend
their whole lives refining. Even though it may come natural to some, myself not included,
there is no such thing as an immaculate writer.