Our Impact
The Nebraska Writing Project (NeWP) is part of the National Writing Project (NWP). The NWP develops innovative programming with an emphasis on emerging technologies in writing and learning, attention to civic engagement, and a steadfast belief in the potential of great teachers to become educational leaders.
Involvement in the Nebraska Writing Project by trained teacher consultants/researchers creates stronger classroom practice, improves student achievement in writing, and imbues an appreciation of the individual teacher’s personal ability to write and model writing for students. The National Writing Project professional development model, which centers teachers as writers and leaders, has been validated in over 200 studies.
For example, the Nebraska Writing Project was one of the sites included in one of the largest random-controlled study on student argument writing in the nation, which assessed the impact of a NWP professional development program called C3WP (College, Career, Community Writer's Program). The results showed statistically-significant results that were visible in student writing when assessed by blind reviewers, as shown in the chart below.
To date, thousands of teachers have become more effective writing instructors though NWP programs, leading to a more robust education for students all over the United States.
In addition, participants in NeWP programs were interviewed and asked about the impact of the programs on their personal and professional development. Highlights include:
- Over 90% of interviewees agreed that NeWP immediately affected how they teach writing
- Over 90% of interviewees agreed that they continued to use NeWP ideas, practices, and strategies in their teaching
- 72% of interviewees agreed that their participation in NeWP contributed to the advancement of their careers
- 60% of interviewees established and maintained a network of other professional educators based on their experience(s) with NeWP
- Over 76% of interviewees returned to future NeWP institutes or activities after their first experience
- 80% of interviewees continued personally or professionally writing after their NeWP experience, and nearly 30% submitted their work for professional publication/had their work professionally published. 34% self-published their work, and another 37% facilitated the publication of others' work, including that of their students
In addition, our progams reach hundres of youth and community members across Nebraska each year, from floating students down the Niobrara River in our award-winning "Write the River" partnership with Niobara Scenic River National Park, to mentoring students to write for the local newspaper as part of our Rural Youth Civic Journalism camp in McCook Nebraska, to hosting Saturday writing workshops for veterans as part of our Warrior Writers program in partnership with Humanities Nebraska, to engaging students in more complex stories of the Homestead Act through the "There's No Such Thing as Free Land" project with Homestead National Monument, and more.