For more than 15 years, the Nebraska English Language Arts Council (NELAC), a professional community for English Language Arts educators, was an organization of the past until a group formed in 2023 and began working to bring it back to life.
That work paid off when NELAC, whose president is Lauren Gatti, Edith S. Greer Associate Professor in Education in teaching, learning and teacher education, hosted its inaugural conference on Sept. 27 at Carolyn Pope Edwards Hall. Jillian Harpster, assistant professor of practice in teaching, learning and teacher education, was co-chair of the conference alongside Brandon Schuman, English department chair at Lincoln Standing Bear High School.
“The energy, enthusiasm and professionalism of each breakout session presenter was an inspiring tribute to the quality of Nebraska literacy instruction that is taking place in classrooms each day,” said Ann Quinlan, the group’s vice president. “Bringing teachers from across the state together for professional conversations was both a goal and a success of the conference.”
At its conference, NELAC welcomed nearly 45 participants from across the state for a day of sessions led by preservice teachers as well as classroom teachers. Discussions and networking were also key components to the conference. Sydney Jensen, an English teacher at Lincoln High School, was one of the teachers who participated.
“The NELAC conference did exactly what I want all conference to do, which is help me walk away with ideas I can put into action,” Jensen said. “A session on using writing to narrate scientific observations showed me new possibilities for cross-curricular collaboration – exactly the kind of practical, innovative thinking I’d been missing. NELAC is filling a crucial gap in Nebraska by creating space for ELA teachers to share practical strategies and reconnect with the intellectual energy of our work, especially at a time when so much feels unsteady.”
The revival of NELAC began with a conversation between Quinlan and Gatti at the 2023 National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) annual convention. Quinlan, former English department chair at Lincoln Southeast High School and current supervisor of secondary English teachers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, had been an original NELAC member when it was active and approached Gatti about spearheading its revival. Gatti immediately said yes.
Within two months, the Gatti and Quinlan, now the group’s president and vice president, respectively, had assembled a board of 12 teachers and teacher educators across the state. They began meeting monthly to organize how to rebuild NELAC from the ground up.
In 2024, Gatti was awarded the Greer professorship, which provided funding she used to pay for the costs associated with restarting the organization, including website creation, listserv subscriptions, support for social gatherings, and, most importantly, costs associated with hosting a conference. The group is now building its financial base through growing its membership and conference attendance fees that will help sustain it after Gatti completes her term as NELAC president.
The Nebraska English Language Arts Council is a professional community for English Language Arts educators at all levels, offering opportunities to collaborate and gain broader perspectives on teaching and learning. Its goal is to empower and amplify the voices of all teachers and students in a changing educational environment. Membership in the organization has grown from two in 2023 to 66 in 2025, and Gatti hopes it reaches 100 by the end of 2025. Anyone who teaches English/English Language Arts in Nebraska is encouraged become a member. Learn more at thenelac.org/.
College of Education and Human Sciences
Teaching, Learning & Teacher Education
