Welcome from the Executive Director

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Welcome to Philadelphia and to the 32nd National Writing Project Annual Meeting! I am delighted to spend the next few days learning from and with the many talented and accomplished site directors and teacher-leaders who make up our National Writing Project network.

This year's meeting features a rich selection of site development workshops on Thursday and Friday, as well as a strand of sessions led by NWP teachers at the NCTE Annual Convention on Saturday. Like all of you, I am eager to engage with colleagues at workshops, the general session, and the Thursday and Friday receptions, and through the informal opportunities the annual meeting offers to gather, share, and learn from one another.

The historic city of Philadelphia, where so many firsts have taken place, is a remarkable setting for NWP's largest gathering of the year. Here the nation's first public library was built in 1731, the first abolitionist society in the country was founded in 1775, and the nation's first school of education for teachers was created in 1818. The Declaration of Independence was written and signed in Philadelphia in 1776. This city has a long history of valuing the importance of writing and social justice.

With 1,000 writing project colleagues gathering here from all parts of the country, the annual meeting is a time to gain knowledge about practice and research and to reflect upon and celebrate the accomplishments of the past year. As our classrooms and students evolve with the growing number of digital tools and opportunities, we are grounded in the knowledge that high-quality professional learning experiences and a strong professional community are the keys to helping students succeed in the 21st century.

I am proud and honored to be a part of this dynamic network, and grateful for this opportunity to explore with you how we as educators can continue to improve writing and learning for all learners.

Sincerely,

Sharon J. Washington