Multigenre Life Story - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Multigenre Life Story

Kyla Hull

ELED 3226.090Slide2

About the Author

My name is Kyla Hull and I am twenty-one years old. I will graduate from UNC Charlotte in December 2014. I hope to teach upper elementary school and eventually become a principal and go on to become a part of the school board- all in Chicago, Illinois. I was born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin and moved to Hickory, North Carolina in 2007 when I was sixteen years old. Slide3

Who is this for? Why?

I wrote this for my grandmother, she is the intended audience. She was my best friend and passed away very expectantly in 2011. I wrote this for her so she can see what she has missed and to help me process and heal. Slide4

About My Grandmother

Her name was Donna Mae

Hoelzel

, but she went by Sue. She was born on November 24

th

and her favorite holidays were Thanksgiving and Christmas- she literally lived for them. Grandma was obsessed with Mickey Mouse and had every single Mickey Mouse thing every created by Disney or any other brand; her dog’s name was even Mickey and when she was cremated, her ashes went in a sealed Mickey Mouse cookie jar. She was the most independent and beautiful person in the world, with the biggest shopping habit in the world. Slide5
Slide6
Slide7
Slide8

Narrative- Christmas at Grandma’s

I remember Christmas as a kid like it was yesterday. Let me take you back to jollier and merrier times.

It was Christmas Eve December 24th, 1998 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. There had just been a blizzard (but then again, hasn’t there always ‘just been a blizzard’ in Wisconsin winters?) and snow covered every inch of every single thing as far as the eye could see. The lake was frozen solid and there were layers upon layers of snow sitting on top of the ice. You could see half a dozen ice shacks on the frozen lake of fathers and sons of different generations bonding together, not talking but fishing and the elders teaching the youngers all the different tricks of the trade. The roads were slushy and brown and gray from the snow mixing with all the dirty from the cars and tires and grass. They never stayed white for too long with all of the traffic. You had to look and try to find all of the mailboxes since the snow was so high and had buried them all. Snow was inches upon inches think of all of the houses and even most of the cars. You could see icicles hanging off of the houses, trees, cars, literally anything that had any sort of water run-off. Everything was glistening and white. It was the most beautiful thing my 8 year old eyes had ever laid eyes on.

Grandma and grandpa’s house was decorated ten times more than anyone else’s. They had lights hanging off the roof, windows, doors, trees, mailbox, wheelchair ramp, everything had lights. There was a gigantic 8 feet tall blow-up Mickey and Minnie Mouse with a snow globe in the middle of them with Pluto and Goofy. There was another 10 feet tall blow up Mickey Mouse snowman a few feet from the first one. Two reindeer with blinking noses and bows that said “Mike” and “Sue” were at the end of the driveway welcoming us.

You ran out of the house in your massive brown fur coat and Mickey Mouse hat, gloves and scarf with your snow-boots ready to greet us with hugs and kisses and the smell of Channel number 5 and cigarettes. We knew that it was going to be the best Christmas, ever. But we said that every year. Slide9

Why I Wrote This Narrative

I wrote this narrative piece about celebrating Christmas at my grandmothers because that is the one thing I remember about her that she loved more than Mickey Mouse. I wanted her to see how much I miss celebrating this holiday with her and how much I remembered. Slide10

Persuasive- Pulling Life Support

I know that there are a lot of things that we wish would have happened differently on that cold January day in 2011. We wish you would have stayed home. We wish grandpa would have taken your credit card. We wish Shopko would have shoveled the streets and sidewalks better. We wish Aunt Barb would have chosen to visit you that day instead of the next day. We wish the driver of the truck would have chosen to drive his car that day, or not go out at all. But most of all we wish that we would never have had to make the decision to take you off life support to begin with; we with the accident never had happened.

I know that it may be hard to understand why we did what we did; and I promise, no one wanted to do it less than grandpa and I. When mom and I flew on the plane back to Wisconsin to go to the hospital, we knew that there was a possibility that we would have to help make some sort of decision on life support. We also knew what your wish was, what grandpa’s wish was, and what we all wanted individually; we were literally divided. It was a well-known fact, with your health problems and your age, that you did not want to live on life support; mom felt the same way. Grandpa and I were on the other side. We are very optimistic people and always hope for the best, no matter how foolish it may seem. It was two against one. The deciding factor was the doctor.

I know it may seem foolish to rely on a doctor for something that is so near and dear to our hearts, for something that is quite literally life or death. What else were we supposed to do? When the doctor told us the two outcomes depending on what we chose to do, we knew we really only had one choice. If we chose to keep you on life support, you would always be brain dead. You had bleeding in your brain and it was swollen, there was nothing they could do. If by some miracle doctors did come up with a cure for a bleeding and swollen brain, there was nothing they could do for you since had been brain dead for two days at that point. They said that we could wait to make the choice as late as we wanted, but that sooner was always better than later. We chose sooner. We had to.

I hope that you understand what I am saying and you accept my apology. We never meant to end your life; but we never wanted to have to make that decision to begin with. Slide11

Why I Wrote This Persuasive

I wrote this persuasive piece about why we took her off life support so that she could understand where we were coming from and could hopefully ultimately agree with what we did. Slide12

Informative- Howie’s Life Story

Howard Askew Wright was born January 15th, 2010 in Hickory, North Carolina to a very interesting woman. His mother was married to one man, but Howie’s father was another man’s child. She was homeless. She was a stripper. She had a drug problem, and a mental health problem. She had no money and a child. Howard lived in this life style for two years and two days before he was taken by Department of Social Services. They found Howard and his mother living under a bridge on a highway; he was malnourished and very educationally low. He was the second foster child to enter our home.

When we first got him the social worker told us that he was perfect for our family and it was unlikely that he would actually be reunified with his birth mother. Mom and dad were very adamant about not seeking adoption and only fostering, not matter how cute he was. Our first few hours together would prove to make that hard and show our family how really unprepared we were for everything soon to come.

Within an hour of having him and the social working leaving him and his stuff with us, we had our very first moment of frustration. Since he was two years old, and obviously living in poor conditions, he was not potty trained. Apparently he ate something before he came to our house because he pooped in his diaper. We had not had a baby in our since for over 12 years. We had no diapers or wipes or even a place to change a baby. Howie was crying and he smelt and tensions were rising fast. Mom called our neighbor, Kelly, who had just had a baby about a year and a half ago. Kelly came over with diapers and wipes and puffs that tasted like bananas and strawberries. Watching mom change a poop diaper after 12 years was probably the funniest thing I had ever seen. She was gaging and choking and getting poop everywhere. Mom is so funny when she is frustrated and us laughing at her was not helping anything. After about a 10 minute diaper change and another 5 minutes of trying to find a toy that would comfort him and stop him from crying, things calmed down. This kind of situational meltdown with having a 2 year old in our house for the first time in years, and just having a boy for the first time in general, happened almost every hour. To be honest, it still happens today.

After having him for almost two years now and his adoption being final in two months, we all couldn’t imagine our life any other way. Sometimes we just look at him and laugh. He had the funniest personality and says the best things. Howie is the type of kid who would smack a kid in the face for being mean to someone but then walk right back up to that kid and give him a hug and kiss. He has the sweetest personality and is just as mischievous as they come.

Mom and I always joke that he is you in a 4 year old boy’s body. You two are so much more alike than anyone thought possible. He is truly the grandson that you always wanted. Slide13

Why I Wrote This Informative

I wrote this informative piece so my grandma could get a glimpse into what our life is like now that we have a toddler boy. I also wanted her to see her grandson that she always wanted. Slide14

Letter- Here’s What You Missed

Dear Grandma-

Words can literally not describe my feelings for you; you are my best friend and my hero. I remember when I got that phone call. I remember my mom telling me that I shouldn’t and couldn’t miss classes because she knew I couldn’t handle seeing you. I remember when they put the phone to your ear and I got to say goodbye to you before they pulled the plug. I remember mom telling me that you squeezed her hand when you heard my voice; I knew she was lying but at that moment it was all I wanted and needed to hear. It has been harder than you could ever imagine going on without you. There are so many things that I wanted to tell you. There were so many moments when I wanted to pick up that phone to tell you about some crazy stupid thing. So let me catch you up to date of what you missed since you’ve been gone..

I broke up with Christyan; you can imagine how happy that made mom. We were back and forth for the past few months this summer and I think it finally ended because he has a new girlfriend and I blocked him on every technological device possible. I know you were always on my side with him because you knew I loved him. I knew you cared about the abuse, but you were always on my side; and for that I am thankful. I transferred from Pembroke to Charlotte. I love being in the city. I love the sorority I joined, Chi Omega. I love having so many job opportunities during and after college. I love the mall being so close by. You and I could get into so much trouble and have so much fun down here. I officially stopped talking to my father. I told him everything he did to me as a child and he didn’t apologize. I haven’t talked to him in three years. My mom and dad adopted a little boy that they fostered. His name is Howie and he is just like you and I. He is the most perfect grandson for you. I am an RA now, which means Resident Adviser; it’s basically just living with students in a building on campus and making sure they are following the rules. It is probably my most favorite thing that I have ever done. It is so rewarding and I have changed a lot since I have taken on the role. I love having people to take care of and make sure that they are following the rules and staying on task to graduate. I love when they finish a test or an assignment and come to me and show how well they did; I really love my job.

I know that things would be so much more different if you were here. I know that grandpa misses you. I sleep with your sweatshirts every night because it calms me down. Mom always says a prayer for you at dinner, which I am sure you know since you’re in heaven. It’s sad that Isabelle and Howie will never know you like I know you. But I guess we will all see each other soon enough..

Love Forever,

Kyla Slide15

Why I wrote This Letter

I wrote this letter to my grandma so she could hear about how much I miss her and all that she missed since she’s been gone. Slide16

Poem- I love you, Sunflower

I love you, Sunflower

There’s nothing I love more

Than sunflowers and you.

Each petal perfectly oval, elongated and the color of

Yellow, more yellow than the sun

Or perhaps even heavens very gates.

Circle of seeds in the middle, an obscure color of an

unfancy

brown,

But at second glance

The brown is not just brown, but tan and pale and wooden and speckled,

Making it glisten,

Whether by the moonlight or the by the rays of the morning sunshine.

Standing tall above the others, almost as if to keep guard

And stand watch, protecting all the surrounding and followers.

The stalk, so green,

So firm,

So thick, too thick to pierce

So no one even tries.

Greener even are the leaves, trying to catch the heavenly glow

Of the petals staring from above.

Its only flaw (Can it even be called that)?

The almost submissive-like bowing of the sunflower’s head,

But as I walk up to it, standing tall but not,

The sun beating down from the heavens above, I catch glimpse

Of your face and I can’t help but

Smile, look up, and send a prayer up above.

For there’s nothing I love more than

You and sunflowers.

-Kyla Hull Slide17

Why I Wrote This Poem

I wrote this poem to my grandma because she loved poetry and her house at sunflowers all over, it was my favorite part of her house.