“Write the River: Creative Writing Float and Art Experience”

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”
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 Joan Swim. Students canoed the river and stopped for presentations about the river area from NPS Rangers.
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 national winner has yet to be announced.