The following press release is concerning an event that took place in Budig Theatre on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2003.

I would also like to submit jpeg pictures of NKU faculty. If this is possible, please email me with an address of where I may send them.

Thank you, Kerry Conrad

______________ Scholastic Writing Awards off to a great start, Free writing workshops for teachers and students to be offered

Over 100 teachers, administrators, and business/community leaders gathered at Northern Kentucky University’s Budig Theatre on Tuesday, September 16, to launch the Northern Kentucky Region of The Scholastic Writing Awards. “The Northern Kentucky Region is off to a fine beginning,” said Ken Spurlock, Program Director. “If the enthusiasm shown at this Kickoff Event is any indication of the future, the whole area will surely benefit as the year-long program unfolds.” The Northern Kentucky Region consists of the six-county region of Boone, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, and Pendleton counties. Students in grades 7-12 in all schools – public, parochial and private – are eligible to enter The Writing Awards, as are home-schooled students. The Scholastic Writing Awards were started in 1923, by Scholastic, Inc. The Awards are now administered by a not-for-profit organization, The Alliance for Young Artists ‘ Writers, Inc. Chuck Wentzel, Associate Executive Director, from The Alliance for Young Artists ‘ Writers, Inc., flew in from New York City and spoke to the assembled group about The Writing Awards. Wentzel also shared a video of the Scholastic 75th Anniversary Awards Ceremony to give the audience a feel of how young writers are honored on the national level. After the afternoon event, Spurlock was presented a check for $6,000 by Mike Philipps, editor of The Kentucky Post, on behalf of the Scripps Howard Foundation. “As a sponsor, Scripps Howard supports this program to recognize and honor the most outstanding middle school and high school student writers throughout Northern Kentucky,” said Spurlock. “Kentucky’s future journalists, poets, and authors are now studying their craft in our schools. The Foundation understands how important it is that all students be encouraged to pursue excellence in many different categories of writing.” Other sponsors include the Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts, Inc. (KCTE/LA), Northern Kentucky University’s College of Arts and Sciences, Northern Kentucky University’s Department of Literature and Language, Staples, Inc., and The Kentucky Post. Additional sponsors are needed. To help improve the teaching of writing and the quality of student entries into The Scholastic Writing Awards, nine different writing workshops will be offered free to teachers and middle and high school students on Saturday, September 27. Participants may choose any three workshops to attend. The day’s events will begin at 8:15 a.m. at Northern Kentucky University’s Budig Theatre in the University Center. These workshops may be used to fulfill teachers’ flexible professional development hours with district or school approval. Teachers and students who would like to attend the writing workshops should register now by contacting Kerry Conrad, Publicity Chair for the Northern Kentucky Region, at pr@kcte.org.