Headquartered in roxburys egleston square, 826 boston is dedicated to teaching creative and expository writing to underserved students, ages 6 to 18, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. Since 826 boston opened in 2007, the organizations innovative youth writing programs have provided one-on-one writing support to more than 16,000 underserved students. 826 bostons core programs, offered free of charge, are guided by the belief that great leaps in learning can occur with one-on-one attention, and that writing skills are fundamental to future success. These programs include after-school tutoring, in-school publishing projects, writing workshops, storytelling field trips, and a summer theater camp run in collaboration with the american repertory theater. Locally founded and funded, 826 boston is one of seven chapters in a national network of youth writing centers founded by the writer dave eggers and educator ninive calegari. In september 2013, the 826 network received

Children & Youth , Education , Educational Services , Youth Development

Targeting students as young as age six, programs such as 826 boston's after-school tutoring program and creative writing workshops foster creativity, a love of reading, and skill at storytelling. Serving middle and high school students, programs such as 826 boston's young authors book projects support the development of creative voice, technical competency and mastery of multiple literary genres. 826 boston's core programs, all offered free of charge, include the following: 1) in-school writing and publishing 2) after-school tutoring 3) creative writing workshops, and 4) storytelling and bookmaking field trips. Parents and teachers alike attest to the impact of 826 boston's programs. "the effects of this program are far-reaching," states after-school parent leah arteaga. "826 boston gives opportunities to kids who otherwise may not be successful in their academic endeavors," she continues. Since inception, 826 boston has recruited and trained more than 2,000 volunteers, who have provided one-on-one tutoring and writing support to over 9,000 underserved boston public school (bps) students. 826 boston's model is uniquely efficient and cost-effective considering that it relies on more than 500 volunteers annually to deliver nearly 15,000 hours of one-on-one tutoring. 826 boston's tutor corps is also central to the success of the organization's young authors book program, which transforms bps students into published writers. Most recently, 826 boston released a place for me in the world: people talk about the work they love, an acclaimed collection of interviews conducted by mission hill middle school students, which the boston globe hailed "a magnificent book (and) a triumph of middle school education. "826 boston recently celebrated its fifth anniversary, which the organization marked by unveiling a new 5-year strategic plan. 826 boston's strategic plan spells out the following goals to be achieved by 2016: 1) double annual programming from 14,000 to over 30,000 hours of one-on-one tutoring; 2) open a writers' room housed in a partner bps middle or high school, which will serve as the hub of writing tutoring, publishing projects, and out-of-school workshops; 3) launch a satellite after-school program in partnership with another community-based program; 4) expand 826 boston's in-school writing and publishing program to four times it current size; 5) add a full-time development director and develop a robust, board-led fundraising program that can fuel sustainable growth; and 6) raise the visibility of 826 boston in its immediate community and across greater boston.