I was recently informed that federal funding for the National Writing Project has been cut, and I am writing to express my sincere disappointment in this decision and in the hopes that I can persuade the better angels of your nature into restoring the funds for the National Writing Project once more.

As a writer myself, you may think me biased—I will always support the efforts of programs as great as the National Writing Project—but I hope that my subjectivity will not dissuade you from the empirical, measureable efforts of the National Writing Project and its proven impact on our communities.

Had it not been for writing I would have never tried.  Let me be more specific:  If I had been under the impression that writing is not a necessary skill I would not have tried to make high marks on essays, I wouldn’t have tried to score in the 99th percentile on the verbal sections of the ACT and other college entrance exams, I wouldn’t have bothered to apply to a top ten school with one of the best writing programs in the country, and I wouldn’t have tried to graduate from that institution with honors.  But because of writing not only did I try… I succeeded.  Cutting funding from programs such as the National Writing Project gives the impression that writing doesn’t matter, that it’s not important.

We can never assume that writing is merely some esoteric skill used by journalists and novelist.  On the contrary, writing is one of the oldest forms of communication, and just as there is enough statistical data to prove that music education can improve a child’s math skills, effective writing skills are the cornerstone of communicating everything from math and science to economics and politics.  Writing is as ubiquitous and imperative as reading.

When I was in college, I was fortunate enough to volunteer with an after school program called 826NYC.  More than just after school tutoring, 826’s goal was to spark K-12 students’ creative and critical thinking skills through reading and writing.  Through our efforts we saw a rise in the average GPA of inner-city school children, but not only that:  we saw shy children raise their hands for the first time in our writing workshops, we saw students progressing quickly help their slower classmates, and we saw bullies and the bullied sit down to write stories together.

The National Writing Project is another program that helps improve learning through writing.  To see that cut is to see fewer success stories; to see that cut is to see students making fewer achievements and reaching fewer goals.  Any time a program like the National Writing Project is defunded, it takes away yet another opportunity for a student to learn, and grow and hone their skills so that they are afforded the chance to improve their education and thus their lives.  I ask you again to please consider reinstating the funds for the National Writing Project, and to also consider what it will mean for those that benefit from its wonderful efforts in improving the lives of our students and communities.  Thank you for lending me your ears and your patience.

Sincerely,

Drew Henry

Former student of several UMWP teachers