UHCL alumnus wins recognition for promoting literacy in school, community

January 14, 2019 | UHCL Staff

Matthew Panozzo’s passion for teaching kids to become lifelong readers can’t be contained in a single classroom. Committed to promoting literacy in his classroom and in his community, Panozzo, who received his master’s in reading from University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2016, is one of 30 literacy leaders named to the International Literacy Association’s 2019 “30 Under 30” list. The prestigious list celebrates rising leaders in the field of literacy and includes a cohort of young innovators and visionaries creating positive change in the global literacy landscape.

“It’s surreal to me to have been recognized,” Panozzo said. “Teaching reading is a passion for me. I absolutely love my job.”

Panozzo, 27, is a 7th-grade English teacher at Annunciation Orthodox School in Houston. During the ILA 2018 Conference in Austin, he played a key role in collecting books and school supplies for Refugee Services of Texas and for the San Antonio Salvation Army.

“What ultimately started me on my mission to teach kids to love books began when I first started teaching English in a high school classroom,” Panozzo said. “I was prepared to teach Shakespeare, but not prepared to break down reading skills for kids whose skills weren’t where they should be. I sought out a program to teach me to backfill these skills so they could be literate, independent adults.”

When he began his master’s program at UHCL, he said, “I realized lifelong literacy does not happen in a year with one set of students. So, I tried to find my niche in professional organizations and went much more broadly with this.” Panozzo is an elected board member of Texas Association for Literacy Education.

While at UHCL, Panozzo said, he’d had three professors who were pivotal in his training. “(Professor of Language Arts and Reading) Lillian McEnery got me started in the program and helped build my foundational understandings of reading, which is why I entered the program,” he said. “I only had (Associate Professor of School Library and Information Science) Jane Claes for one class, but I think it was my favorite. She opened me up to a whole different world of books. And (Assistant Professor of Reading and Language Arts) Roberta Raymond tied all the pieces together, showing me how to advocate for literacy outside the classroom.”

"It is important for our graduates to be literacy leaders in all areas; classroom, community, state, and nation, so they are able to effectively promote literacy for all students," Raymond said. "Matthew is a strong leader in all areas.  His passion for promoting literacy is contagious."

Overall, Panozzo said, UHCL provided support while still empowering me to become a better educator. “I felt like each professor took the opportunity to get to know me and my peers, and the courses were designed based on our needs,” he said.

“A lot of why I love education is the relationships in and out of the classroom,” he said. “Being on the ‘30 Under 30’ list expanded my network. To me, the recognition is daunting. I don’t look for the spotlight. But I ask myself, how can I use this platform to build connection?”

He added that the recognition he’s received did not come from his own work. “The book drives were collaborative efforts,” he said. “I’m part of a professional network that supported and challenged me. We’re not teaching in silos. It takes a village to create lifelong readers.”