PAST PROGRAMS

2025 Teacher Consultant Reunion

On Saturday February 8, NWP=KSU TCs met at the Parma-Powers Library for an reunion. Dr. Jennifer McCreight
Our Teacher Consultant Reunion will feature a keynote from KSU’s Dr. Jennifer McCreight gave an inspiring keynote. Attendees participated in a book swap, writing sessions, and a strategy share. 

Write Out: Fall into Writing with NWP-KSU

NWP-KSU Teacher Consultants met on October 16, 2024 to learn about Write Out 2024: Poetry for the Planet which runs October 13-27, 2024, and planned activities for their classrooms. Educators met at the Ledges Shelter and are pictured here at the picnic table dedicated by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limon this summer. Limon chose Jean Valentine's "The valley" for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the poem is installed on the picnic table (shown left). 

Words Taking Flight: Inspiring Writing With Place-Based Education - Program Highlights

On April 29, 2023, NWP-KSU and The National Park Service offered a morning workshop called "Words Taking Flight: Inspiring Writing through Place-Based Education" at The Ledges Shelter in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. National Park Service Education Specialist Heather Berenson led us on an amazing bird walk filled with quotes like...
  • “Birds are sounds of life and holders of unknown stories."
  • “You start bird watching, and the whole world opens up to you.”
  • “Loosen your eyes as you search for birds in their environment.”
Teacher Consultant Maggie Chernick inspired us with an excellent presentation titled The Worlds Is Our Classroom accompanied by a handout that highlighted work in her classroom as well as resources for incorporating place-based education in any classroom.  

Participant reflections Included:
  • "I feel so energized by today’s workshop. Thanks for giving me a new language for this work and for all the resources."
  • "I feel more empowered to reach out to the community as a resource for learning. I look forward to building a fresh standards-based writing program with a science/s.s. focus that utilizes place-based learning."
  • "This workshop has helped me think about ways to connect my kindergartners to their families and communities NWP Teacher Leader Maggie Chernick and National Park Service Education Specialist Heather Berenson."
Looking for more NWP-KSU & CVNP partner programs? Join us for "Back to school - with joy" on August. 10. Details in our summer program slideshow.

​Highlights from the NWP-KSU TC Reunion ​Sat., February 11, 2023

NWP-KSU teacher consultants from around the state met for our first NWP-KSU Reunion on February 11, 2023. Dr. Lori Wilfong, NWP-KSU director, welcomed attendees to the Kent Stark Campus with coffee and breakfast. Former NWP-KSU Director Dr. Alexa Sandmann inspired us with a short talk titled “Writing: The Art of It”. A Grounds for Thought gave us all the opportunity to write and share. We enjoyed a book swap, shared lessons, and relaxed and reconnected with NWP friends and colleagues. ​

Pop-Up at Cuyahoga Valley National Park during Write Out 2022


On a beautiful fall day, visitors to Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) stopped at NWP-KSU and CVNP’s Pop-Up table.

TC Maggie Chernick was there to encourage writing as a way to celebrate park moments.

Phrases from visitors included…
"Wonderful turtles basking in the sun without a care in the world"
  • "Live life in the moment"
  • "Sand is like a violin, moving when someone touches it"
  • "The sky opens before me framing the fall rainbow,"
  • "A noble glimpse of the bald eagle between the trees."​​

Kernels of Wisdom Highlights Narrative Writing Strategies

 Saturday, November 5, 2022 9 a.m. to Noon via Zoom 

More than 50 educators from throughout Ohio attended the 5th Annual Kernels of Wisdom Workshop held online Saturday, November 5. Presented by the National Writing Project at Kent State University and Power of the Pen, Kernels of Wisdom focuses on effective and engaging teaching of narrative writing.

The keynote speakers, Power of the Pen coaches Jenn Sauvey and Beth Toerner of Wyoming Middle School, discussed ways to guide students in developing characters that readers care deeply about. TCs Jeff Harr, Jean Kanzinger, and Tammy Sullivan led breakout sessions on writing a gripping climax, using description effectively, and working with younger writers.The morning also included a Power of the Pen track related to coaching and judging.

Participants shared their enthusiasm:
  • "I feel excited to write with my students! They will love using phobias to inspire story ideas. I also can't wait to use the NY Times photos in some of my lessons."
  • "I'm excited to rework my current narrative writing unit to include craft moves as revision steps!"
  • "Keynote Gold! Thanks to the keynote speakers for a wonderful session packed with ideas and generous resources. I'm eager to share the craft exercises as I use picture books as well and it will be a great fit for my students!"
  • "I need to write more with my students. I had so much fun writing creatively today during the sessions, and I realized that I haven't stretched those muscles in a while!"​