Prairielands

Missouri has 4 sites in its state wide network.  They are Gateway at St. Louis, Greater Kansas City, Columbia at Missouri University, Prairie Lands at St. Joseph, and a satelite site at Springfield.  The network meeting provided a half day session for site directors to plan before other participants arrived.  After about a 30 minute session where sites produced a presentation reporting on their yearly activities, someone at the site presented that product.  A dinner meeting was held with the guest speaker Ben Nelms, founder of the Missouri Writing Project. Jayne Marlink, National Writing Project State and Regional Networks Coordinator and California Writing Project Executive Director reported from the national writing project.  The following day was full of numerous breakout sessions.  The sessions were the true model of the writing project of teachers teaching teachers.  A final 15 minute session with ones site directors to set the stage for fall meetings and activities.  Aug. 23, 2006 Prairie Lands will celebrate Rural Poetry with a poetry reading for the public.  This evening will showcase the top 10 young poets from northwest Missouri along with several local published poets reading their pieces.  Next deadline is submission of the mini technology grant purposal.  After that is the Fall finish, the last official meeting for the Summer Institute fellows.  Then on to nationals where Chico friends will reunite.