Thank you to the Tom Loveridge Staff Scholarship and the UU Staff Council for giving me the opportunity to continue my professional development through higher education! As a Reading Intervention Specialist for the University of Utah Reading Clinic (UURC), it is important to me to expand my knowledge of literacy acquisition to better serve the teachers, parents, and students with whom we work.

This award has allowed me to pursue my Ph.D. in Reading and Literacy, which will equip me to provide the best support possible to educators and novice readers throughout Utah. While reading is crucial for success in our society, many children experience difficulty learning to read. With appropriate instruction and resources, these children can "crack the code" and become fluent readers. My colleagues at the UURC have inspired me to work to spread literacy throughout the state, which provides our students with the brightest futures possible. I am grateful for this opportunity to continue my own education to better support literacy in our state!