Greetings, LIWP Members! Did you enjoy your summer experiences with the Long Island Writing Project? Would you like to stay connected and involved in Writing Project events this spring? Well, you’re in luck — we’re looking for people with a few good ideas and a bit of energy to help us in these upcoming ventures.

Friday, February 28th to Sunday, March 1st, 2009
Annual Empire State Writing Project Network Meeting in New Paltz — A great opportunity to hobnob with your fellow educators, the créme de la créme of New York State’s teachers! Curious about how other teachers deal with state requirements? Do you have some ideas about what education should look like in New York State? Join us as we build a statewide presence.
Anyone who attended this meeting last year will be considered first, but no prior experience with the Empire State Writing Project Network is necessary. Three volunteers needed; expenses will be paid by the LIWP. Contact Melanie Hammer (melanie.hammer@ncc.edu) by January 20th if you are interested.

Wednesday, April 1st through Friday, April 3rd, 2009
Thursday, April 2nd is the National Writing Project Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., when we lobby Congress for continued NWP funding. In this changing political climate and through the ups and downs of the current economy, it’s important to remind our senators and representative that the Writing Project is a great community resource for our teachers and students. Three volunteers needed to spend the day lobbying, then stay for outstanding workshops.  Come be part of democracy in action! Details can be found on the NWP Web site. Expenses will be paid by the LIWP. Interested? Contact Heidi Atlas at hsatlas@optonline.net.

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
Did you ever read a poem and think, “I wonder how that got written. I wish I could ask the author!”? Here’s your chance — award-winning poet Joseph O. Legaspi (http://www.josepholegaspi.com/) is coming to Nassau Community College to share his recent work. His poems address immigrant and coming-of-age experiences. The Writing Project is hosting a reading of his poetry. After the reading, he will host a “Master Class” for LIWP teachers. Interested participants will receive a copy of his book in advance and will be asked to select six poems for which they would like an explication de texte. Great for those who teach poetry and those who write it.

You can e-mail Melanie Hammer at melanie.hammer@ncc.edu or Kat Burkard, her personal assistant, at katburkard.liwp@gmail.com.

Thanks for being a part of the Long Island Writing Project!