For Dr. Sarah Donovan, the power of written stories stretches far beyond the classroom.

“Why is it that someone's story moves our hearts in a way that statistics don’t?” Donovan asked.

“English language arts can help people use language to understand themselves, each other and most importantly, how to participate in society in ways that allow it to become more healing and community-based.”

Donovan, an associate professor in the College of Education and Human Sciences’ School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences, is committed to investigating the topic.

With a curious mind and a passion for understanding how language affects societies, she has kick-started an online and academic discussion about the practice of ethical language arts.

While completing her Ph.D., Donovan noted numerous domestic and global political discussions centered on genocide in Sudan and policies expanding holocaust education in the U.S.

These experiences forced Donovan to acknowledge a hard truth — she didn't fully understand herself what the depths of genocide meant.

Part of what drew Donovan to the topic was her ability to examine history through the lens of language rather than simply as a collection of historical facts. While factual history presents devastating data, Donovan believes written records can capture both the pain and happiness that provide accurate recounts of historical events.

“It may be difficult for teenagers to read about racism and discrimination,” she said. “But they also get insight into the community, language and families, while observing how authors do that in a beautiful way — to confront you with the harm and then bring you into the joy.”

In 2015, a year after completing her Ph.D., Donovan created her personal website, “Ethical ELA,” an online blog for writers and educators to come together. Throughout her Ph.D., Donovan said she learned the value of online blogging and what it could provide for both individuals and the communities involved.

Donovan saw growth in her website over the next few years, but its community started to take shape during the COVID-19 pandemic. When many people lost their sense of belonging during a global quarantine, Donovan opened the doors for a digital community.

“We had thousands of people and thousands of poems coming to the site daily,” Donovan said.

”[Poetry] was really like a lifeline for so many people during that time that it actually led to the oral history of COVID-19 through poems.”

Donovan credits the community surrounding the blog for its ability to sustain itself. While many blogs fail to survive beyond their first year, Ethical ELA continues to grow.

The impact of Donovan's community is no secret. The love Donovan has for her project is shared by her colleagues and community members. Retired fifth-grade teacher Stacy Joy has been a frequent visitor to the site since about 2019. Since then, the two have formed a special bond, frequently working on various writing projects together.

“The [Ethical ELA] community is made up of a great group of teachers, and Sarah is an amazing nurturer of us all,” Joy said. “I know I am in a safe space, and I don’t have to worry about being good enough.”

Like Donovan, Joy said she feels drawn to poetry not only for its personal benefits but also for the impact it can have on others who read the work.

“I started seeing that poetry writing was like opening a door for others, instead of just for me,” Joy said. “It’s not something that is reserved for a select few. It’s everywhere across the board.”

Donovan recently spent the past year on sabbatical, traveling through Europe. While some may view the time as an extended vacation, Donovan has been hard at work researching and immersing herself in the languages of other cultures.

“What we want more than anything is for someone to listen to us,” Donovan said. “We can do that for each other without any money. We could just give a little of our time to hear one another, to listen to the stories we each hold.”

In 2026, Donovan was awarded the Berry Research award by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) for her English and literacy research project titled, “From Relational Assessment to Institutional Grading: How English Majors Develop Assessment Literacy across Their Careers.”

The purpose of the award is to support NCTE members in the teaching, learning and application of literacy learning. The Berry Research Award specifically provides research support for NCTE members who propose a research project that studies the careers of English majors and/or the role and function of English in career development. The award also supports studying the impact of the English language in the broadest of senses, as well as literacy-related majors like writing studies, linguistics and English education.

“My work challenges measurement practices that reduce literacy to what can be counted and positions assessment as a site of human formation,” Donovan said in a statement.

“I want literacy to remain a place for ethical attention and shared authorship.”

Donovan’s work will result in at least two final products: one that is addressed to a scholarly audience of researchers and teachers in the field of English and/or literacy studies, and one for a clearly specified audience beyond those in the field.

As a recipient of the 2026 Berry Research Award, Donovan will present her research at the upcoming NCTE Conventions.

In addition to her award, Donovan is the newly elected co-chair of the NCTE Assembly for Research, and she previously served as a board member for the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE.

*All opinions expressed on this website are those of the author, Dr. Sarah J. Donovan, and do not represent the views of Oklahoma State University or the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges.

Story By: Annie Ross | annie.ross@okstate.edu