This is America! Speak English! Combating Obstacles Illiterate Adult Spanish Speaking Immigrants Encounter When Learning English

Rebekah Collins is a 34-year-old full-time working wife and mother to a spirited 7-year-old adopted from Colombia. As a non-traditional student, she has balanced farm life, family, work, and school while pursuing a BA in Spanish Translation and Interpretation with a Minor in Intercultural Studies. Her love for the Spanish language and culture deepened through her family’s adoption journey which inspired her to finish the degree she began years ago as well as to honor her son’s heritage by learning the language he was born into. She lives on a small Kentucky farm where her family raises cows and horses. She also enjoys gardening, canning, and quilting. After transitioning to a role at a local non-profit, she has become more aware of her community’s needs; especially among the Latino population. Rebekah is passionate about continuing to serve this community through outreach after graduation and is eager to use her education in lifechanging ways. This is America! Speak English! Combating Obstacles Illiterate Adult Spanish Speaking Immigrants Encounter When Learning English Native language literacy for illiterate adult Spanish speakers learning English as a second language is an under-researched area that education scholars and researchers recognize as needing further study. Although some research has highlighted the benefits of native language instruction for Spanish-speaking students. The framework of this presentation is based on answering key questions regarding the specific roles native language instruction and English instruction play in literacy learning. Therefore, this project examines the barriers illiteracy creates in English language acquisition and evaluates instructional programs designed to bridge gaps in native language literacy for Spanish speakers. Materials presented in this project include research on educational and socioeconomic barriers, relevant data, statistics and methodologies of successful literacy programs. Student testimonials are also included to highlight a more personal aspect and show how literacy can change lives. Such evidence reveals that, to effectively remove educational and socioeconomic barriers, illiterate adult Spanish speakers must have a foundation in native language literacy first before transitioning to English. Ultimately, this project challenges the notion that English instruction alone is sufficient for literacy development and sheds light on prioritizing native language literacy, which enhances English learning outcomes for illiterate adult Spanish-speaking immigrants. Keywords: adult illiteracy, native language instruction, Spanish language literacy, English language learning

OH004 Andrew Carmon Oral History

Andrew Carmon discusses his family background, basic training and transport ships being attacked by German submarines en route to France. He spoke of being one of the few black men in combat and how the different races related to one another. He also discussed what it was like in the trenches in France and being on the front line. He was wounded in France, recovered and ordered go back to the front

Marigolds and More: The Power Behind The Plants

My research is based on Marigolds and their antimicrobial properties and what we can use them on such as E. Coli and other common bacteria. I came across this topic because of my mother’s physical health. My mom has restrictive lung disease and all of her medicine no matter what she was on was typically really expensive. I then recalled a lesson I sat in on for one of my classes that discussed the medicinal properties in certain plants and I started wondering what else we could make plants do. I then realized that there was a lot of people in my mom’s situation where they couldn’t afford a lot of medicine and I wanted to see how I could change that. Marigolds are a very versatile plant seeing as they are a mosquito And insect repellent and also an anti microbial. With this in mind I also remembered how common and easy to grow marigolds are and wanted to test them. I spent about a year growing five different breeds of African Marigolds to see which would be the easiest to grow that was still known for its medicinal effects. After that I started looking at research articles and studies about what bacteria is affected by the marigolds. Since then I have started writing a literature review over everything I’ve read so far so I have a good basis and have a better understanding of where to start and what to look for when I do the hands on study next semester. I have spoken with my research mentor and have met with one of the Pre Vet/Vet Tech professors to help me grow the bacteria next semester and test the effect on the bacteria from the marigolds extract. I am very passionate about this topic and I feel it is a very important topic and not discussed enough. I would like to present my Literature review with my findings as of right now from growing the marigolds and all the readings I have done so far

Systematic Leaf Morphology Based on Anatomical Attributes of Members of the Arum Family (Araceae)

The recent literature concerning the Arum family (Araceae) has grown in number over the past few years, correlating with a rise of their popularity as ornamental houseplants (Haigh et al, 2023). However, I find that literature concerning the anatomical development and morphology of leaves across the family in a comparative study is lacking (Keating, 2002). Currently, within my own personal collection and the shared teaching collection at Murray State University, I have the opportunity to sample a significant representation of species across the family. Through harvesting, sectioning, mounting on a slide, and observation of leaf anatomical structure via a compound microscope, this study aims to provide a comparative anatomy of leaf structure across intrafamilial clades. In doing so, this study also aims to provide an insight into the differences in leaf structure across genera and to highlight the diversity therewithin. Following Yeung’s protocol (1998), I amassed 48 unique specimens and sectioned fresh material using a hand microtome. The key areas of study for this project are the leaf midrib and petiole, as well as including longitudinal sections of the leaf tip to describe hydathodes. The sections are then stained using 1% TBO suspended in a pH=4.4 benzoate buffer and mounted on slides for observation under light microscopy. Microscope images are then to be photographed of key structures throughout the sample, including vascular bundles, chlorenchyma, aerenchyma/mucilage ducts, epidermis, and calcium oxalate crystals. In the present progress of this study, I have noticed differences in the structure and number of vascular bundles, mucilage cells, calcium oxalate crystals, and other overall anatomical features of different species. I plan to examine these differences further and present how structures have changed from more basal to more recent species evolutionarily

SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF AMERICAN CHESTNUT (CASTANEA DENTATA) DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY IN KENTUCKY’S FEDERAL LANDS

Anthropogenic factors have been the cause of the decline of tree species across the globe. From unsustainable logging and development to disease and improper management, threats to forests have taken their toll. The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was once an integral basal tree species in Appalachian forests, but chestnut blight drove the species to functional extinction by the mid-1900s. The recent creation of genetically modified chestnuts gives hope for future restoration of the species throughout its historical range. Despite blight resistance, effective restoration will require optimal site selection for finding and planting chestnuts, which will maximize limited resources. Increased efficiency and greater understanding of chestnut ecology will lead to fewer wasted resources and a timelier natural dispersal throughout the Appalachian landscape. This large-scale landscape analysis, centered around two of Kentucky’s public lands, evaluated the degree to which suitability criteria from literature can predict chestnut locations in both Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (LBL) and Daniel Boone National Forest (DBNF). Suitability maps coalescing literature-based criteria were created using GIS data and were validated in-situ at both sites. The model was found to predict chestnut presence in 25 percent of experimental sites versus 12 percent in control sites. Chestnuts were more commonly found in the field when utilizing the model than when conducting randomized searches. Chestnuts were also more likely to be found in DBNF compared to LBL, which may reflect historic population densities. Basal area and canopy shade were found to reduce chestnut occurrence as they increased, which suggests competition may be a critical component of chestnut conservation. My study provides a geospatial framework for the future conservation of American chestnut and other at-risk taxa such as ash (Fraxinus), hemlocks (Tsuga), and more

OH059 Floy Miller Oral History

Floy Miller, who was a resident of the Land Between the Lakes region of Kentucky for over twenty-six years, discusses her experiences during the early part of the 20th Century. She describes former residents of Golden Pond and their occupations, the problems associated with transportation and communication in the region and significant incidents that affected her life. She also mentions the river boats, local churches, and the general stores

OH050 Frances Henry Oral History

Francis Henry discusses her experiences in Trigg County, Kentucky during the first half of the 20th Century. She describes her life on a family farm and social events in rural communities. She recalls the activities of the local churches such as baptisms, funerals, revivals; long sermons, homecoming, preachers working outside of the church, reactions to women wearing pants and church discipline. She mentions the bad reputation the region received regarding illicit whiskey distilling and the reaction of the people as being categorized as moonshiners

OH066 Rowena Payne Oral History

Rowena Payne discusses foreign immigrants who settled the Land Between the Lakes region of Kentucky during the early part of the 20th Century. She describes the history of several communities and how they became named and the Night Rider raids on Rockcastle and Birmingham. Payne also recalls stories her parents and grandparents told regarding the Civil War, the educational system in the region and the evolution of her business at Sardis

OH142 Scott Fielder Oral History

Scott Fielder details his experiences during the Second World War. He served from February 11, 1942 until November of 1945 and saw combat in the Pacific Theater. He was stationed in Tullahoma, Washington State, California, Hawaii, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Japan. He describes his training, service during the war and his discharge from the United States Army. He also gives his opinions on significant military and political figures and events during the Second World War

Market Sentiment of Highly Innovative Firms

This paper examines the relationship between firm innovation and options, addressing gaps in the existing literature. While prior research has explored innovation’s impact on firm valuation, the direct link between innovation and market sentiment, as reflected in the options market, remains underexplored. By analyzing data on put-call ratios and the quality and quantity of innovation within firms, this study seeks to determine whether innovation influences market sentiment and serves as a significant determinant of investor behavior in the options market. Our findings provide insights into whether financial markets efficiently incorporate intangible assets, such as patents and R&D investments, into the put-call ratio. Statistically significant differences are found in the put-call ratios corresponding to varying levels of innovation, so this paper contributes to the literature by demonstrating that higher levels of innovation are associated with more optimistic market sentiment