WASHINGTON, D.C. – When U.S. Senator Pat Roberts visits elementary schools in Kansas, he shares one important message with the youngsters: “You can be whatever you want to be in life, as long as you learn to read and write first,” which is why today he joins with the National Council of Teachers of English to recognize October 20, 2011 as National Day on Writing.

“Famous Kansans help me prove the point to our youngest students,” said Roberts. “Look at Coach Snyder. He couldn’t do his job if he couldn’t write down the plays for his team. Look at Martina McBride. She wouldn’t be able to write the songs she sings. And I couldn’t have started my career as a journalist if I didn’t have strong writing skills. It really is the key that unlocks the doors to limitless opportunities.”

“With an ever-increasing, highly technological world we live in, communication—even through emails, blogs and text messages– is essential to a well-functioning, communicating society,” Roberts said. “Effective communication contributes to building better communities and a stronger global economy.”

The National Council of Teachers of English established this day to recognize the importance of writing and the integral role it plays in the lives of Americans on a daily basis.

The resolution encourages educational institutions, businesses, community groups and others to promote awareness of the National Day on Writing through individual submissions to the National Gallery of Writing, a website that will showcase and celebrate the variety of forums where writing is used today – from newspapers and memos to blogs and text messages.

Prior to working on Capitol Hill, Sen. Roberts was a newspaper reporter and editor. He also taught high school English.

The text of the resolution is below:

Expressing support for the designation of October 20, 2011, as the ‘‘National Day on Writing’’.

Whereas people in the 21st century are writing more than ever before for personal, professional, and civic purposes;

Whereas the social nature of writing invites people of every age, profession, and walk of life to create meaning through composing;

Whereas more and more people in every occupation deem writing as essential and influential in their work;

Whereas writers continue to learn how to write for different purposes, audiences, and occasions throughout their lifetimes;

Whereas developing digital technologies expand the possibilities for composing in multiple media at a faster pace than ever before;

Whereas young people are leading the way in developing new forms of composing by using different forms of digital media;

Whereas effective communication contributes to building a global economy and a global community;

Whereas the National Council of Teachers of English, in conjunction with its many national and local partners, honors and celebrates the importance of writing through the

National Day on Writing;

Whereas the National Day on Writing celebrates the foundational place of writing in the personal, professional, and civic lives of the people of the United States;

Whereas the National Day on Writing provides an opportunity for individuals across the United States to share and exhibit their written works through the National Gallery

of Writing;

Whereas the National Day on Writing highlights the importance of writing instruction and practice at every educational level and in every subject area;

Whereas the National Day on Writing emphasizes the lifelong process of learning to write and compose for different audiences, purposes, and occasions;

Whereas the National Day on Writing honors the use of the full range of media for composing, from traditional tools like print, audio, and video, to Web 2.0 tools like blogs,

wikis, and podcasts; and

Whereas the National Day on Writing encourages all people of the United States to write, as well as to enjoy and learn from the writing of others: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) supports the designation of October 20, 2011, as the ‘‘National Day on Writing’’;

(2) strongly affirms the purposes of the National Day on Writing;

(3) encourages participation in the National Gallery of Writing, which serves as an exemplary living archive of the centrality of writing in the lives of the people of the United States; and

(4) encourages educational institutions, businesses, community and civic associations, and other organizations to promote awareness of the National Day on Writing and celebrate the writing of the members those organizations through individual submissions to the National Gallery of Writing.

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