Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 11/21/00
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple   46

Photos accompany release   Please note local interest
KSLU TO AIR SOUTHEASTERN'S "EVERYDAY EPIPHANIES" DEC. 1-2
     HAMMOND -- "Everyday Epiphanies: Listening to the Rhythms of Louisiana Life," two
radio programs showcasing writing about rural Louisiana by local students and teachers, will be
broadcast November 29 and December 1 on Southeastern Louisiana University's public radio
station, KSLU 90.9FM.
     The programs were produced by the Southeastern Louisiana Writing Project as part of the
National Writing Project's series "Rural Voices Radio: Writing About the Places We Call
Home." Part One of "Everyday Epiphanies" can be heard on KSLU at 6 p.m. on November 29
while Part Two will be aired at 6 p.m. on December 6.
     "'Everyday Epiphanies' reflects the unique and diverse lives of the people of rural
Louisiana as portrayed by contributions from students and teachers from Tangipahoa, St.
Tammany, St. Helena and Livingston parishes," said Richard Louth, director of the SLWP and a
member of the English Department faculty.
     "These writings reveal the things that are sacred: family, friends, home, places, events,
memories and experiences," Louth said. "Through poetry, prose, myth and story these rhythmic
tales honor the extraordinary gifts present in our daily lives."
     Louth said "Everyday Epiphanies" and shows by five other National Writing Project sites
have been playing on public radio stations throughout the country since the summer and now are
scheduled to play locally on consecutive Wednesday evenings from November 29 to January 10.
     The shows were produced by Deborah Begel and narrated by author Kim Stafford. In
addition to the SLWP's "Everyday Epiphanies," which was coordinated by Sumner High School 
teacher Lynne Vance, a member of the SLWP Rural Voices, Country Schools team, additional 
programs showcase the cultures of northern Arizona, southwestern Michigan, Nebraska, southern 
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EVERYDAY EPIPHANIES   Add One
Pennsylvania, and central Washington. They were produced by Deborah Begel and narrated by
author Kim Stafford.
     At the awards ceremony on November 14, the SLWP recognized the contributors and 
supporters of "Everyday Epiphanies" with certificates, complimentary CDs of both programs and
a companion anthology featuring their work.
     Featured writers include
     Livingston Parish: Justin Newman, Brittany Jones, Jacob Duley.
     St. Helena Parish: Gary Porter, Porsha Saulsberry, Joseph Curtis Ramsey, Rena
Claiborne, Tynetra Kendrick, Charles Thompson, Antoinette Marie Robinson.
     St. Tammany Parish: Melanie Plesh, Arshan Edgerson, Caulder Lynch, Jennifer Hayes,
Karen Maceira, Veronica Averill, Ross Daughdrill, Leslie Gilliland, Josh Isaacson, Brittany
Pastor.   
     Tangipahoa Parish: Lynne Vance, Desiree Powell, Amy Walker, Daniel Ballard, Alton
Carpenter, Rush Carlton, Ishalyn Ballard, Fin Hagan, Erica Tuger, Joseph Dunomes.    
     Contributing music to the program were Andrew Robin, Melanie Plesh, Syncondria
Wilson, Carey Pugh, the Creole Rice Jazz Band, Robert Calmes, and Miranda Schneider.
     Local sponsors of the project include People's Bank of Tangipahoa Parish, St. Helena and
St. Tammany School System, and Clinton Montz.
     The SLWP was one of six National Writing Project affiliates chosen in 1997 to receive a
"Rural Voices Country Schools" grant from the Annenberg Foundation. The national Rural
Voices Country Schools program identifies "genuinely good, genuinely rural" teachers and
students and works to improve the teaching of writing in the nation's rural schools.
     Through Rural Voices Country Schools, the SLWP recruited a team of  "teacher-
researchers" and a network of teachers who research, document and share good teaching
practices in rural areas. The RVCS includes Southeastern faculty Louth, Joan Anderson and Beth
Calloway, and area teachers Lynne Vance, Sumner High School; Mary Beth Crovetto,
Ponchatoula High School; Leslie Gilliland, Clearwood Junior High; Linda Greene, William
Pitcher Jr. High; Luora McNabb, Albany Middle School; and Gary Porter, St. Helena High
School. The teachers were selected from among the 125 local educators who have participated in
the SLWP since it was established at Southeastern in 1992.  
                             -SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu./NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsf00.htm