Goucher Elementary School fourth and fifth graders participated Oct. 20 in the first National Day on Writing. Students contributed poems to the virtual museum of writing, The National Gallery. Goucher Elementary student writings are among the pieces contributed to a new virtual museum of writing called the National Gallery.

The gallery is a Web site where people who perhaps have never thought of themselves as writers are able to choose and post writings, expressing what is important to them.

Goucher Elementary fourth and fifth graders were among many students in schools nationwide which marked the first National Day of Writing on Oct. 20 by contributing to the writing gallery. The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) created the day to celebrate writing and the importance of writing in today’s society.

In preparation for the writing day, Goucher Elementary literacy coach Becky McCraw taught poetry lessons and invited the students to write “Where I’m From” poems. She submitted some students poems to the writing gallery.

“These poems are written in the style of George Ella Lyon’s poem ‘Where I’m From’ which reminds us that all stories begin at home and we all have a story to tell,” McCraw said. “Activities at the school included reading aloud, discussing the importance of writing in our lives and writing virtual poetry.”

The National Day of Writing is intended to become an annual event.

The U.S. Senate passed a resolution on Oct. 8 endorsing the plans for a national writing day observed by schools and colleges.

McCraw presently serves as the Elementary Representative-at-Large on the NCTE’s executive board. She had the opportunity last April to go to Washington in order to seek congressional support for the National Day of Writing resolution.

“It has been exciting being a part of the planning process for this important day,” McCraw said. “I really feel The National Gallery will be a wonderful resource for teachers and a forum for young writers.”

The writing gallery can accommodate all types of writing, including letters, lists, short stories, essays, and poetry.

Writing can be contributed by any community members. The gallery will remain open to submit writing and read written works until June 30, 2010.

Students in Cherokee County schools are expected to become more involved over the next several months in the writing gallery. McCraw said she hopes the school district will have more local schools participate in next year’s national day of writing.

“We have 18,000 pieces submitted so far to the national writing gallery,” McCraw said. “Our goal is to have 100,000 submissions by next June.”

For more information, go to www.galleryofwriting. org.