For starters, sponsors enable growth in English as a whole, they improve basic concepts such as reading and writing themselves or may delve deeper to unsurface confidence and more. The more common example of this would be through a sponsor as a facilitator, which Brandt explains as “any agents, local or distant, concrete or abstract, who enable, support, teach, and model…” (556). This specific sponsor would encourage and assist the learner until they are no longer needed, they could help with writing cursive or writing their first college essay in this example. No matter the subject “sponsors are the delivery systems for the economies of literacy” (Brandt 556) For example, in Kenny Godus’ literacy narrative, he wasn’t able to read and write until the third grade, until he met, Mrs. Fucci, he described her as a life saver due to her actually stopping and taking the time to educate him, and all the meanwhile while being nothing less of patient and kind. Unlike at his old school where he would be ignored and laughed at for his inability “She leaned in and just gave me a hug and said ‘Kenny we’re going to get you the help you need.’ That was probably the sweetest thing a teacher has ever said to me” (Goddu 3). Not only did he finally learn to read but he wasn’t intimidated and harassed in the process. Both of these factors indefinitely boosted his confidence as a student in English and overall. Sponsors as withholders also enable growth in literacy due to forcing students to find other means of help or independence to figure out their own problems and do a little creative thinking on their own, which is very important to be able to do in education as a whole.
Secondly, as previously mentioned, not only is furthering of education important but so is independence which is brought on by sponsors as well. Brandt believes that sponsors “bankroll events and smooth the way for initiatives” (557). They smooth the way by building knowledge and confidence. Both facilitators and withholders can have this same effect, for example in Sarah Manuels short story she explained how her mom was always there for her in life, especially when it came to academics. Yet, when her parents got a divorce her mom became much busier, therefore she couldn’t help her as much. Not only this but she got a very young teacher in highschool with an attitude Ms. Lefrancois offered no help along with an environment Sarah was intimidated in for asking simple questions. Yet without her supports she began to solve her own questions and problems, “Without my mom being there to help me with my reading and writing twenty-four seven and Ms. Lefrancois not wanting to help me out during class I was able to use various sources to help me. The sources I used were Mr. Kehowski, the internet, books, and even my friends” (Manuels). Although she didn’t literally solve all of her questions on her own she branched out and reached out to other and methods she would normally not. Normally she would be reliant on the teacher for all the support she needed, which shows growth as an individual, she became independent in her own academics.
