• 41 Years Teaching Elementary School: Omaha and Lincoln Public Schools ​
• NeWP Summer Institute 2008​
• NeWP Leadership Institute 2015 ​
• LPS Gold Star Award Recipient 2008 ​
• Love to Write Summer Writing Workshop-Camp Facilitator ​

With her time as a facilitator for the I Love to Write Workshops, Sandra sees firsthand how the Nebraska Writing Project has the potential to transform communities of writers and learners. Working with elementary, middle school, and family writers, the workshops build on the basic techniques of writing and provide writers a variety of fun and meaningful writing activities. Sandra described this process saying, "Workshop writers have another place to write beyond their classrooms, and the opportunity to interact with a new community of people who also enjoy reading and writing. No matter what age level, they quickly understand that we all have something to say. This idea inspires them to continue to write beyond the workshops and identify themselves as artists who can use their voice to transform their lives and the lives of others. When asked how writing helps with this transformation, Sandra said,"I see writing as a foundation for understanding. Creating a community of writers, allows us to express ourselves freely, respectfully and responsibly. In working alongside these writers, we practice choosing words carefully and think about how the words we speak and write apply to each of us. Then, we can integrate and clarify our own thoughts, consider other perspectives, and accept other people's ideas that we may not have understood or agreed with before. This sharing helps to create a dialogue of similarities and differences, creates valuable conversations, and helps communities grow together as thinkers, writers, and learners.​"