Mike has been connected with NeWP since attending a Summer Institute in 2009. Since then he has participated in several other institutes and served as a co-researcher/facilitator for the C3WP project. He is a member of the Educational Theatre Association, the International Thespian Society, and the Teaching Artist Alliance where he offers workshops in creative writing and playwriting. He has taught English in Millard since 2006. He describes his first Summer Institute as a seachange in his approach to teaching and assessing writing. He has led a number of staff development sessions in his building and district to share the vision of the NeWP with his fellow teachers. He describes his experience with the members of the Nebraska Writing Project as “energizing and positive. The people involved with the writing project are excellent writers and teachers, excited to collaborate and share. [He comes] away from [his] time with other project members energized. The sense of belonging and support, and the encouragement to be a better writer and a better teacher provides [him] with both motivation and comfort.”