Whitney’s Story

Creating “All Things Literacy & You” has been a challenge for me, as my passion surrounding literacy is really ALL of the things, which is why I see this space and my support as the jack-of-all-trades of writing, reading, listening, and speaking. “All Things Literacy & You” is here to help you find the support that you need. 

Throughout my career, I have been a middle school English teacher and Reading Specialist with multiple side passion projects. These side hustles all surrounded helping others with their writing and ultimately, coaching them in their overall communication. From working with professionals at Facebook on writing strategies to coaching students on their college essays to guiding students in analyzing a literary text to supporting medical students with their personal statements and resumes to being the go-to friend to help edit and revise a cover letter, I have found a deep and meaningful connection with others through helping them accurately capture who they are and their greater message.

Beyond teaching English and sharing my passion for reading and writing, I feel completely inspired by my students and their families. I relish the relationships and bonds formed over the years. It’s been a privilege to learn from so many young and brilliant minds. While I have left the classroom, I have still stayed connected and supported families in helping their pre-teens and teenage students. Continuing to brainstorm with parents and providing ideas to guide their children’s literacy journey is invigorating.

Literacy is not only essential because it is the foundation of learning——reading, writing, speaking, and listening——but it is where we find an enormous amount of connection. As we read, we connect the dots across the intersections of our lives. We connect to favorite characters. We connect to faraway, imaginary lands unveiled in dystopian novels. As we write, we connect to our questions, writing the whys, that give us purpose to pursue. We connect our words in poetic and analytical ways. We connect to our innermost thoughts and feelings. And as we speak these words and listen to the words of others, we connect to our stories and who we are. 

I created “All Things Literacy & You” to help you write your story and listen to the stories of others—especially those of our children.