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About Ann

Professional ​
Info​​

One of my main achievements is producing and editing an anthology of my students’ writing, compiled over 10 years, on the Hannahville Indian Reservation where I taught high school English classes. There, I was immersed in the reservation community, was invited to and attended ceremonies and learned the importance of storytelling, beadwork and honoring all life. I participated in native language classes for several years out of respect for my great-grandmother. I also served as the school’s oversight person for language instruction.

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I've presented workshops at the national meetings of Creating Sacred Places for Children, the National Indian School Board Association, and the International Reading Association. 

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​Other relevant work includes the publication of "Writing Power: Opening Doors to Self-Expression" in Winds of Change (published by American Indian Science and Engineering Society), lesson plan contributions to Creating Sacred Places for Children, and creating a Language Arts curriculum using Native Authors, grades 9-12, for tribes on the west coast under the direction of Dr. Sandra Fox. I worked with a traditional language instructor (Hannahville) to develop a Native American Literature class which we co-taught for several years and which was broadcast to schools in the UP. I facilitated an interview of Hannahville Poets students and school principal for the Native America Calling radio program and co-taught Rezz Radio, produced at Hannahville Indian School/Nah Tah Wahsh PSA

  • 2020 New Mexico-Arizona Book Award Winner: Multicultural Category for Cady and the Bear Necklace

  • Midwest Book Award Winner and Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist for Cady and the Bear Necklace.

  • Historical Society of Michigan State History Award 2020: Books for Children & Youth, Cady and the Bear Necklace and Cady and the Birchbark Box

  • SCBWI Michigan Chapter: Runner-Up Multicultural Mentorship Competition (2016)

  • Print Excellence and Knowledge (PEAK) Grand Award Winner, New Mexico Book of the Year 2010 Finalist, Eric Hoffer Award for Short Prose & Independent Books (First Runner-Up), National Indie Excellence Awards (NIEA), and da Vinci Eye Finalist for Sam English: The Life, Work and Times of an Artist.

  • Scholarships to study writing at the Split Rock Arts Institute (Univ. of MN), Highlights Foundation Sessions (Honesdale PA and three residencies at Wild Acres Retreat Center (North Carolina).

  • Grand Prize Winner/Bon Ton Dept. Stores National Writing Contest

  • Awarded National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship

  • Wisconsin ARC Media Award  

  

Workshop presenter at:

  • Creating Sacred Places Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM: Poetry Writing and Native American Students

  • International Reading Association, San Francisco, CA and National Indian School Board Meeting: The Effect of Daily Journal Writing on Reading Ability at a Native American Charter School

Experience
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Work​
experience​

UPWord   Freelance writer

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Content Coordinator, Tri-City Neighbors Magazine 2017-2019

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Reading Interventionist/Marinette (WI) Public School System    

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High School English Teacher, grades 8-12, for 15 years  Nah Tah Wahsh PSA in Wilson, MI

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Education

VITERBO COLLEGE, LaCrosse, WI    

Master’s in Education/Secondary Education & Reading  (WI License #316) 

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UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON  

Bachelor's degree awarded jointly by School of Journalism and School of Education

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MI and WI Master Teacher

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