A Grandmother's Touch
Sidney Schmidt

SPEAKER: Alright, so introduce yourself to the camera.

SID: Hi, my name is Sidney Schmidt, I'm a sophomore at OSU and I'm 20. 

SPEAKER: Ok, and what is your major?

SID: My major is currently history but I will probably be double majoring with English as well. 

SPEAKER: Ok, are you taking a challenging course?

SID: Mh hmm.

SPEAKER: So can you tell me your first recollection of learning or education?

SID: Absolutely, my first recollection I want to say I was three or four, maybe, probably three - that sounds about right - and I was at my grandma Schmidt - she lives in Wisconsin - on my dad's side of the family. Her house, her and my grandfather and she was reading me some old storybooks and going through with me like how to read them and things like that. I think my very first book that I read was probably - I don't actually remember my exact age - but I remember the title of the book, it was "Jane Can Jump" and the story did not deviate much from that plot line. [laughing] But I learned a lot about Jane and her jump rope and it was just this incredible feeling that I have this new adult world, if you will, or the world of grownups opened up to me by reading so it was a very magical experience. 

SPEAKER: And how did your interaction with your grandmother kind of shape your take on education as it is today?

SID: It was very positive. She was a school teacher up until maybe ten years before I was born when she retired. So she just innately kind of had a very nurturing approach to education and how important it was on my dad's side of the family has always been very academic as well. My mom's side too, so it's always been something that was valued in our household but the way she always presented it to me was something that was a lot of fun and very enjoyable and you learned new things so it helped you [clears throat] it helped you kind of make sense of the world even more. So it was a very positive thing. 

SPEAKER: In learning how to read from a young age, have you kind of taken a liking to reading now?

SID: Yes, yeah absolutely. I would say that creative writing is probably - I'm not very [clears throat] I'm sorry my throats, could I...?

SPEAKER: Ok.

SID: I'm not exactly artistic, I don't paint, I'm like tone deaf, [laughing] I'm not very musical. I can appreciate music but I can't play music. So I would say that reading and writing, they're probably the most active creative outlets that I have. I love writing short fiction, creative nonfiction, persuasive essays - those are all outlets that I've taken and really built upon in the past, I'd say five years, I guess that I really enjoy. Before I finish undergrad and certainly before I go onto another grad school or law school I'd really like to publish a collection of short stories, it's something that I really pride myself on and that I enjoy.

SPEAKER: Ok, now I guess in talking about writing stories now, how important will it be to you to teach the younger generation to read and write as well?

SID: Oh, absolutely very important. I don't personally see myself being a teacher, I don't think that's what I would be best at, but I know when it comes to - sorry. [clears throat]

SPEAKER: It's ok, drink up.

SID: I will. When it comes to my own family and close friends and young children that I interact with on a daily basis or on a more personal level in my adult life that education and reading is something that I will stress, you know, because being critical it is that silver bullet, it's the linchpin to all other forms of education and bettering yourself. So it's enjoyable, it's what transforms a rainy afternoon where you're stuck inside or a long train ride or bus ride or flight somewhere; it really transforms the mundane into whatever you want it to be, wherever you want to be at that time. So it's a treasure. 

SPEAKER: Alright, well is there anything else that you wanna I guess tell about learning or reading or education?

SID: Yes, actually, something that I miss and I certainly lament the fact that younger generations will not have this. When I was very young I used to watch the show "Reading Rainbow" which [laughing] was fantastic and just another outlet, a lot of programs on public television that we don't have anymore, "Wishbone" anyone? It was fantastic, introducing children to these stories from classic literature that it just opens your mind up to a whole new way of thinking. It's exciting, it's interactive; I wish there would be more of that. 

SPEAKER: Ok, well thank you. I appreciate your time.