Student Biography

Personal:
Steven is a 9th-grade student who attends Riverside High School in Ellwood City, PA. He is 14
years old. He has one older sister who is 16 years old. He lives with both of his parents. His
father works at the local cracker plant in Beaver County. He mentioned that he lived in
California for a few years, but relocated to Pennsylvania for his father’s job. Steven has two
black labs and one cat. In his free time, Steven loves to play video games and relax at home. He
is very passionate about dinosaurs and has watched all of the Jurassic Park movies.
I asked Steven if he would read a book about dinosaurs if I rented one for him, and he
smiled and said “Absolutely”. On the Student Interest Survey, when asked, “If you could get
three books for free, what might they be about?”, Steven wrote, “All about dinosaurs.”. He told
me that he is usually a very quiet young man, but whenever somebody mentions dinosaurs, he is
eager to learn more or tell others information that he finds interesting about them.
On the Student Interest Survey, when asked, “If you could transport yourself to any time
or place in the past, where would you go?”, he wrote, “to 2019”. Previously in this survey, he
said that if he were given three wishes, one of them would be to “Make COVID not real”. Given
these answers, it is clear that Steven wishes he could have the past three years of his life back. I
asked him what he did while the pandemic was most prevalent. He said, “Play video games and
watch tv”. Steven is a kind-hearted student who is cherished at school by staff and his peers.
When fellow students see him in the hallway, they often greet him with a smile.

School Life:
Steven is currently a 9th-grade student at Riverside High School, located in Ellwood
City, PA. He attends Life Skills classes for 4 out of 9 periods a day. Steven is a student who
loves learning about animals and fun facts that are not widely known. He has a close group of
friends at school who are also enrolled in the Riverside Life Skills Program. Steven frequently
arrives at school ten minutes early and has a tired smile on his face when he enters the room. He
is tired for most of the day and only participates in class when prompted or asked about
dinosaurs (his face lights up when he talks about dinosaurs). Questions are often repeated for him
and he takes time to think before he answers.
In school, Steven struggles to comprehend his surroundings. He seems in a daze while in
class. For example, after Thanksgiving break, I asked Steven what he did for the holiday. He told
me that he drove to California to visit family. I asked him how long the ride was, and he told me
he did not know. I asked what sites he visited. He did not know. I asked if he was visiting his
mom’s or dad’s side of the family. He did not know. I asked him what part of California he
visited. He did not know. I have noticed his inability to comprehend his surrounding throughout
the year. He does not pay attention or forgets a large percentage of his days. I have noticed that
this behavior is detrimental and reflects not only on his grades but in his literacy.

Literacy:
Steven’s first and only fluent language is English. He is able to speak, write, and listen in
English. Steven enjoys reading only when the subject is something he finds interesting, such as
large animals, the newest technology, or unique facts. Steven does not enjoy reading but realizes
that it is an essential part of life. Steven believes he is an “okay reader” and only understands a
portion of what he reads. When his teacher asks him a question pertaining to what he has read, he
has trouble thinking of an answer. Steven practices his reading in the form of News2You articles
along with the rest of his peers. After he reads a short passage, he is asked to discuss the subject
with the class. While participating in this, he typically responds with a two-three word answer.
He is often asked to elaborate on his thoughts but struggles to do so without prompts or small
reminders.