Dear writing project friends,


It's been cold and damp mornings and my mind goes back to the fabulous
bananas brulle oatmeal we had in Baltimore at the NWP convention several years ago.
 Who knew oatmeal could be decadently delicious?   Then in the evening, we
had all those laughs over the crab legs.   Those were wonderful days with Pat
Henry's affiliation with OUWP and OSUWP.
I was the lucky one that got in on everything and got to meet so many of you.


I got a follow up call from a Washington based evaluation group about our
grant.   I answered lots of questions and couldn't have been more positive about
OU and OSUWP and NWP.   Told her about the student writing awards and how so
many teachers have the writing process imbedded in their lessons.   I think,
she wished she were part of the whole grant experience.   The hallways still
have wonderful seasonal writing-not just one mandatory one.   The maturity with
which these kids write is awesome.

For those of you wondering where our dynamic principal, Lisa Robinson went,
she is in Texas and I am sending this e-mail to her too.   So her e-mail
address is attached.   I hear she is blazing a trail in her native land.


My grandson, Cody, son of our daughter, Elizabeth (OUWP) and Greg Ressel, won
a state award for his 6th grade essay on how agriculture benefits us.   He
chose to write about agriculture and sports.   He reads it at the OK State house
in late March and the whole family gets to go and also have lunch there.   He
can't wait to meet Brad Henry. I'm just happy to know Cody and all my other
grandchildren!

I lurk out here reading the OSUWP messages.   As Friday looms, hang in there
you full timers.   I know from all your emails that you make a difference on a
daily basis in many children's lives.
I'll tell you about Junior high Jason.   Jason was such a poor reader and
pretty heavy set, poorly dressed-never caused problems.   He was in our Title I
reading classes in 7th and 8th grade.

He listened and watched and struggled.   We wrote journals every day for a
couple of weeks and then we'd take a break which I needed.   He and I had a nice
dialogue.   (He told me not to quit pushing people.)   That was such a good
way for me to help students with their writing and learn more about them.   He
wanted to be a policeman.   I encouraged him but wasn't convinced he could be.

Well, he isn't a policeman.

 I saw this nicely dressed, neat, young man going about his job.   Multi
tasking but moving deliberately but not quickly, encouraging the other staff
members who looked to him for advice and decisions.
Jason is the manager of the customer service department for our local Wal
Mart.
When I asked it he had gone to Tomlinson Junior High and once wanted to be a
policeman, he was quite shocked that I would remember him.   It was a neat
moment for both of us.

He may not chose to read long passages like the ones on standardized tests
but he sure know how to read people and take care of business.
Hang in there!
Lillian OUWP '81