The Annual NeWP Spring Gathering was an evening of conversation, meeting new colleagues, recognizing past achievements and enjoying good food and drink. NeWP leaders were on hand throughout the evening with multi-media presentations of some of their past year’s projects:
- Amy Wilson presented “Prairie Pen and Print” reading group.
- Cindy Backemeyer and Carae Oehlerking presented The “Bess Aldrich” reading group (in absentia).
- Liz Birky, Dwight Thiemann, Jeff Grinvalds, Susan Martens-Baker, Kim Ridder, Cindy Backemeyer, Cyndi Dwyer, Connie Navratil and Josh Call presented for the Technology Teacher Research Team.
- Todd Tystad, Tobi Scaggs, Connie Navratil, Amy Wilson, Marie Workman and Miranda Barth presented the NeWP Level II project.
- Daniel Boster presented “Omaha Metro Area High School Festival”.
- Cindy Backemeyer, Sarah Brown, Paula Hohman and Nancy Rice presented “Sisterhood of the Traveling Books”.
- Dixie DuTuerk presented “A Sense of Place”.
As happens every year, two special recognition awards were presented. The 2007 Administrator Certificate of Recognition was presented to Kim Larson for her support of the Nebraska Writing Project through her work with the State Department of Education. The 2007 Nebraska Writing Project Carol MacDaniels Teacher of the Year Award was presented to Linda Beckstead, a long-time English and Journalism teacher at Bellevue West High School.
The entertainment highlight of the evening was in the form of J.M. Huscher. J.M., ‘local’ slam poet extraordinaire, inspired and delighted everyone in the room with three original works. A student at UNL and part timer at Ivanna Cone, J.M. has been selected as an alternate to the Omaha National Slam Team that will compete in Dallas this summer. He performs in various venues around Lincoln and the region.
Spring gathering attendees getting hors d’ouevres 
J.M. Hussman with Susan Martens-Baker 
J.M. Hussman and Jeff Grinvalds
