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LBHS English teacher Sara Zeek will participate in the National Writing Project this summer.

Lord Botetourt English teacher Sara Zeek has been accepted into the National Writing Project that will be held at Virginia Tech this summer from June 22 through July 17. The writing project strives to help teachers and educators teach better writing skills to students as a result of their participation in the Project.

Zeek has been recognized by the school board as one the county's National Board Certified teachers, has a MALS degree from Hollins University, is an adjunct faculty member at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College and is the editor of "Needle's Eye" the Virginia Association of Teachers of English (VATE) newsletter. She is married with two grown children, Thomas and Jenny and lives in Clifton Forge. She has one granddaughter, Merridith, too! Zeek is also the senior class sponsor at LBHS.

"It is extraordinary to participate in the National Writing Project that is called The Blue Ridge Writing Project and was once called the SW Virginia Blue Ridge Writing Project," said Zeek. The program has been in existence since the 1970s. " It is a really exciting opportunity." She applied for the project and happily, she said has been accepted.

She will complete three major writing assignments during her class. For a writer, the ability to have time to write and study is often stuck into what free time is available after career and family take precedence. She will do a research paper among the three assignments. She is interested in all genres of fiction and poetry. When asked about fiction, she said, "I think all genres are important to literature and though some of my collegues don't agree, I think it is o.k, to self- publish. At least that writer took the time to put together a work. I do recommend editing though."

She desires the time to write more poetry during her summer class. "I almost have to taste a word before I am satisfied," she mused.

The National Writing Project website is www.nwp.org