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The Great Basin Writing Project (GBWP), located in the city of Elko, started as a site in 2000. It covers an area in northeastern Nevada diverse in its landscape and people. Elko hosts the National Basque Festival in July and the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in January. Ranching, gold mining, and gambling are the chief industries. The region includes a portion of Pony Express route, Highway 50 (the loneliest road in America), the pristine Ruby Mountain Wilderness near Elko and Great Basin National Park, near Ely. |
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Nevada’s Latino population is one of the fastest growing in the nation, and the number of students who are labeled Limited English Proficient (LEP) in our service area is increasing. Elko County, the district most impacted by non-native speakers, has approximately 750 LEP students divided among four attendance areas. Across the region, American Indians make up between 5 and 6 percent of the student population; a large portion of American Indian students live on two remote reservations. Poverty is a concern for most schools. Four out of the five districts in our service area have 25 percent or more of their students on free and reduced lunch. At some schools that number exceeds 90 percent. Many students struggle to attain basic literacy, a fact not always captured by test data |
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Great Basin College, our host institution, provides us with critical support. Gaye Terras, the English Department secretary, does everything from scheduling conference trips to transcribing tapes of students interviews. And Dr. Linda Uhlenkott, a GBWP co-director, is a constant writing project presence on the campus. Linda gives our work the validity and authority that are key to our being perceived as a credible provider of professional development. |
The 2011 Great Basin Writing Project Application is available. Press the Applications link.
