Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Stephen Petrill for his mentoring, encouragement, and commitment that has allowed me to triumph. This paper would not have been possible without the assistance and collaboration from the Western Reserve Reading Project research team. Additionally, I would like to thank my committee members, Anastasia Snyder and Laura Justice for their patience, time, and dedication. Thank you to my wonderful fiancé, Richie, for being patient and supportive. Finally, this project would not have been possible without the funding and support from HD038375.