National Adult Literacy Database

February 2, 2004

This week, we have a story written by Jennifer Mattison, from Toronto, Ontario. Jennifer is a single mother of three and was born in Jamaica. She has worked in the Home Support Services field for many years. While at East End Literacy Jennifer has been working hard to improve her spelling and cursive writing. She was awarded a Student Achievement Award at the EEL Graduation.

Family History

by Jennifer Mattison

My family history is something that I'm proud of. It helps me to learn about about where my grandparents were born.

My grandfather was born in America and came to Jamaica. Father told me that my grandfather was a white man. My mother told me also about her father and what he looked like. She told me her father was a big man. He was about six feet tall.

I grew up with my grandmother in Jamaica. My grandmother was very proud woman. My grandmother was born in Jamaica. She had sewed for men and women. She also did farming. She has two children. She has nine grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren.

My mother and father were born in Jamaica. Mother was a housewife. She also worked very hard to bring up nine children. My father was a small businessman.

In Jamaica, when I was going to school I had to wear a uniform to school. My uniform was green. I wore brown shoes and white socks. Every Sunday my sister, brothers and I went to church. Every night we had to say a prayer before going to bed.

Looking back on my family history it helps me to know who I am. This is something I can tell my children.

[This story was taken with permission, from A Collection of Student Articles, November 2003, entitled Proud of My Heritage, written by students at East End Literacy.]