The Niobrara National Scenic River and The Nebraska Writing Project, University of Nebraska Lincoln created an educational experience for high school students that won the 2022 National Park Service Regional Education in Excellence award for the “Write the River: Creative Writing Float and Art Experience” Region 3, 4, 5 (Midwest) region of the National Park Service encompasses 13 states. This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the profession of education that model excellence through thoughtful engagement of education principles, innovation, and adaptation.
The Niobrara Scenic River program consists of a river writing experience known as a float for high school students accompanied by personnel from Valentine High School, NPS Rangers, and teacher consultants from the Nebraska Writing Project. Art students from VHS created art along the river lead by the VHS High School art teacher. Students canoed the river and stopped for presentations about the river area from NPS Rangers from the Niobrara Scenic River on four different resources and writing prompts/styles from teacher/consultants from the Nebraska Writing Project.
Led by Susan Cook, Superintendent, Niobrara Scenic River, and Jan Knispel, project planner for the Nebraska Writing Project, the program consisted of rangers and teachers coordinating information about the river’s unique resources with a writing experience.
Write the River: Creative Writing Float and Art Experience is in competition for the National Award with other regional National Parks winners: The White House and President’s Park, Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The national winner has yet to be announced.
The education leaders included Janell Stoeger, teacher consultant and presenter, Valentine Middle School, Samantha Hand, teacher consultant, Valentine High School, Ronelle Kilmer, former teacher Valentine High School, Brenda Larabee, teacher consultant/presenter from Stuart High School, and Jan Knispel, teacher consultant/presenter from Mid Plains Community College planned student writing. Valentine High School art teacher Joan Swim lead her art students.
NPS Rangers included Superintendent Susan Cook, Rangers Lela White Blizzard and Bobbie Roshone, and Resource Manager Travis Connot were involved in planning and presenting river information. The next Write the River experience for Valentine students is planned for September 15, 2023. Students will receive information and applications from their English teachers in September.
Niobrara National Scenic River is one of America’s National Scenic Rivers and a unit of the National Park Service in Valentine, Nebraska. Keep up with the latest information by following us on Facebook (Niobrara National Scenic River) and Instagram (@NiobraraRiverNPS). For more information, please call 402-376-1901 or visit www.nps.gov/niob. Visitor Center hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT daily. Winter hours begin September 4 when the hours change to Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free of charge.
Thank you so much for publishing this article about the Write the River program. This is a yearly experience offered to local high school students.