The National Day on Writing is an annual celebration that serves as a reminder to individuals of the power of the written word. Since 2019, UNH has hosted a celebration of the National Day on Writing that invites participants to participants to engage in diverse activities that promote literacy and self-expression. Over the years, it has grown into a widespread event. This year I had the pleasure of attending UNH’s NDOW Celebration on October 17th. The event is put on as a collaboration between the Community Literacy Center, UNH English Teaching, and the NH Literacy Institutes. This year’s event was funded by a UNH Center for the Humanities grant. . It was open to UNH students, faculty and staff, as well as the broader community. This year, a middle school and high school group joined us! With more than 200 people in attendance, the event was a smorgasbord of ideas, stories, and creativity.
The event took place in Hamilton Smith Hall, with prompts spread out across classrooms and within the atrium. Prompts varied from a 5-minute free write to creating a monster and writing its story. Other prompts included a Nature Journal ‘Zine, creating a Blackout Poem, and a Climate Literacy Chart. These activities went beyond what many people think of as writing, and covered a wide range of multimodal composition (for those unfamiliar with the term, ‘multimodal composition’ means creations that use more than one mode—visual, aural, textual, spatial—like, an TikTok video with captions on it) . The National Day on Writing activities fused written words with imagery, for a more profound means of expression.
Not only k12 students participated in these activities but teachers and adults as well. It is a common misconception amongst many that adult writing is typically not as ‘fun’ as work done by children, but this event is an example of how anyone can write creatively and freely.
Being able to float between the different prompts allowed me to see the continuous excitement across activities from the k12 students. I noticed that a lot of students were drawn towards the activities that were centered around the creation of visuals that went hand-in-hand with their writing. The individuals who participated in the Monster prompt used common objects, such as pipe cleaners, clay and googly eyes to create unique characters. They then wrote detailed stories ranging from adventures their creation went on to unique characteristics that the monster had.
As a volunteer, I had the chance to interact with people of all ages and backgrounds, and it was heartwarming to witness how the written word transcended barriers, uniting everyone in a passion for literacy. What struck me most about this event was its emphasis on the idea that writing isn't just about essays or books; it's about sharing our own emotions and experiences. My experience as a volunteer at this event has deepened my appreciation for the art of writing and the role it plays in building a more connected world.
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