NCTE Active Writing Center

[adeciccio@merrimack.edu]

Before you all head out for the Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to give you 
some good news about the Active Writing Center we arranged at NCTE in 
Detroit.  While there was not a lot of actual tutoring, there was indeed 
some.  More importantly, according to Harvey's data, more than 5,000 people 
registered for the convention, many of whom visited the exhibition area 
during the three days it was open.  In that time, the NWCA booth had many 
visitors, particularly from elementary, middle, and secondary school 
workers.  Lots of information was provided, and I expect that our 
membership (both online and official) will swell.  In all, I think it was a 
great success, and I will thank NCTE for allowing us this opportunity.  At 
the same time, I will gently chide our NCTE colleagues for not providing as 
much publicity as they could have for the tutoring we were available to 
provide.  The thriteen writing center professionals who gave their time to 
the Active Writing Center during the past weekend were instrumental in the 
success I have talked about and I want to thank them here:  Joan Mulin, 
Tracy Strauss, Martha Marinara, Denise Stephenson, Jim McDonlad, Marcy 
Trianosky, Michael Pemberton, Suzanne Swiderski, Becky Rickly, Eric Hobson, 
Pam Childers, Dennis Paoli, Eric Gardner, and Paula Gillespie. Having such 
colleagues is one of the reasons why I have sought to serve NWCA for s long 
as I have.  Finally, since I became President this past weekend, I want to 
make my first official pronouncement:  All of us should get up on our feet 
and put our hands together in a national round of applause for Joan Mullin 
who, as past President, has led this organization ably and effectively.  
Thank you Joan; I will seek your wisdom often.

Best to all of you during the Thanksgiving break,

Al DeCiccio

Wj