Annual Review Unfolds in Atlanta

By: NWP Staff
Publication: The Voice, Vol. 7, No. 2
Date: March-April 2002

Summary: The NWP Annual Review, which ensures that existing sites are healthy, growing, and following the NWP model, took place in Atlanta, Georgia, in February, 2002.

In a sort of test-drive of the city that will host the entire National Writing Project network for its annual meeting in November of this year, the NWP Annual Review unfolded in Atlanta, Georgia, the weekend of February 1-3, 2002. Held at the Hilton in downtown Atlanta, the event upstaged even the National Football League's grand event, the Superbowl (which was played the same weekend), at least, that is, for the 30 or so people involved in this important NWP activity. Once again, the review came together and held its own, thanks to the dedication of the reviewers, who were selected from the network's directors, co-directors, national office staff, and others.

The massive reading project kicked off on the morning of Friday, February 1, and over the course of the next two days, the group reviewed over 160 proposals—one from each existing NWP site seeking continued funding. The purpose of the review, which takes place the first week in February every year, is to ensure that existing sites remain healthy, are growing, and adhere to the NWP model. Although the site review process is a huge commitment of time and energy from the reviewers, the professional development opportunity it affords them is well worth that effort.

"The annual review is an enormous amount of work," Richard Sterling, NWP executive director, acknowledged at the end of the marathon weekend, "but it's exciting work, and what comes out of the review is incredibly important to both the individual sites and the network as a whole. We simply can't thank everyone involved enough, no matter whether they're writers or reviewers of the proposals."

Articles from The Voice

"NWP Annual Review . . . It's That Time of Year Again," The Voice, November-December 2001

"Annual Site Review 2001 Takes a New Approach," by Joye Alberts, The Voice, May-June 2001

"NWP Annual Review Unearths Gems," The Voice, March-April 2001

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