Writing can be a pretty daunting task for even the most ambitious high school student, and it is a rare occurrence when a teacher actually finds a way to make the writing process enjoyable. It has been almost ten years since my 11th grade Advance Placement English class, but all these years later, I still remember how my teacher, Ellen Shelton, made the subject of critical writing enjoyable and a great deal less scary than it originally was to me. In her class, I learned that there was more to writing than just correct grammar and structure. I learned how to successfully put my thoughts on paper. I learned how to interpret works of literature for myself, rather than letting a textbook interpret them for me. The knowledge I gained in this class prepared me for all of the writing that I have been required to do in college, and I feel I had a great advantage over many of my peers who didn’t have the same opportunity as I did.

If the National Writing Project can be credited with creating more teachers like Dr. Shelton, then cutting its funding is doing a terrible disservice to the future generations of students and writers. I am now a mother, and I am continually disheartened by the state of our nation’s current education system. The killing of this important program is just one more reason to make me afraid for my children’s future education.

Hilary Adamec

Tupelo High School – Class of 2003