The NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing program makes use of an advisory committee and state coordinators. Their functions are as follows.

Achievement Awards in Writing Advisory Committee: To advise the NCTE staff liaison on any changes that should be made in the Achievement Awards program; suggest impromptu theme topics; edit and approve the final topics; finalize scoring guides for the topic; review judging procedures, recommend judges; recommend ways of publicizing the program; and investigate ways of aiding the winners.

State Coordinators: To advise the NCTE staff liaison on any changes that should be made in the Achievement Awards program; review judging procedures; recommend judges; recommend ways of publicizing the program; investigate ways of aiding the winners; and give suggestions for the impromptu theme topic.

The Achievement Awards in Writing Advisory Committee met at the Annual Convention in Atlanta last November to discuss, choose, edit, and approve the final wording for the two impromptu writing prompts for the 2003 competition. The committee also examined the rubrics used for judging and determined that no change was needed at the time although members agreed to discuss the rubric in more detail at next year’s meeting. The 6 +1 Scoring Rubric from the NW Regional Educational Laboratory and the criteria used for Advanced Placement scoring should be examined and discussed since both are well known and used across the country. A change might be in order. A member also wondered whether the committee might have a role in suggesting/advocating that participating teachers discuss approaches to writing to the impromptu topics with their students. With the emphasis on standards and curriculum alignment, many teachers may feel that the impromptu writing intrudes on their curriculum. The committee is also seeking additional committee members, especially from states with a large number of student participants and award winners. The members will meet in San Francisco to finalize the two topics for 2004. The committee is grateful to Millie Davis for providing all of us with important information about the awards and the committee’s responsibilities, and to her staff for handling the myriad details of the NCTE Writing Awards program. The committee also appreciates the years of help provided by Dr. Sandra Gibbs to the NCTE Writing Awards program.

Elinor L. Michel, Chair