What would a year-end be without a top-ten list?  At 826LA, we unlock the creative power of writing in the lives of our students and support teachers as they cultivate the love of writing in their students. We celebrate student accomplishments in big ways and small, and this Top 10 list is in that same spirit. 2022-23 was a banner year for 826LA, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of every donor, volunteer, educator, family, and of course, student that we work with.  So here they are, in no particular order:

1. 14th Annual Personal Statement Day! We more than doubled the attendance to 114 as students from throughout Los Angeles gathered at Orthopaedic Hospital Medical Magnet High School for individualized support with their college application essays. The marathon writing workshop provided volunteer support to get those student essays ready for submission! 110 826LA volunteers joined us that day.

One student told us “The  help I got on on my college essays was amazing. Great experience and 1 on 1 help does wonders. My tutor was awesome!”

2. New Partnerships! From the California African American Museum to Westchester Enriched Science Magnets High School, we’re expanding our impact. We launched a new partnership with UCLA and the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program, placing 30 Bruins to volunteer and provide one-on-one support to our students. These volunteers provide time, compassion, and talent! Students were supported with individualized tutoring, writing coaching, and mentoring from our talented, trained, and giving volunteers.

3. Our students improved!  Each year, we administer two writing assessments, the Analytic Writing Continuum and the Creative Rubric developed by 826 National to our students. Students submit writing samples in response to a prompt at the beginning of our after-school programs and then a new one at the end of the program.  Last June, our students improved across all measures by an average of 10%!

4. We launched the Traveling Field Trip, where we bring the magic of our bookmaking field trips to schools that would not otherwise be able to participate in 826LA programs. To serve schools that are unable to secure transportation funding to our centers, our Barnacle & Barnacle publishing team visits 1st through 4th-grade classrooms across LA and guides classes in writing a collaborative, creative story before Professor Barnacle can turn the publishing house into a snails and toothpaste pizzeria. After the students write their own endings, the publishing team then returns to the classroom with their illustrated, Barnacle-approved, and published books. 

5. We expanded our Board of Directors! A Board of Directors is the governing body of any nonprofit, and 826LA’s is comprised of super volunteers to give so generously give their time, talent, and treasure to ensure our success. Jeff Boos, Joe Ferencz, Cisca Brouwer, and Scott Boxenbaum joined the Board in June.

6. In May, our annual book fair gala was hosted by the talented Patty Guggenheim.  We celebrated the student publication The Art of Vulnerability and the students blessed us with a reading of their powerful, beautiful poems.

7. We launched a new Time Travel Mart website. Embedded in its code is a temporal beacon that allows time travelers from throughout the space-time continuum to point, click, and purchase their time travel supplies. Remember, whenever you are, we’re already then!   

8. Anthem Award! Together with Paramount and Helen Bernstein High School, we were awarded the Anthem Award for our partnership there, where we paired Paramount employees as mentors with Helen Bernstein Students as we led them through the writing of their book, Holding On to the Future.

9. Summer Lyric! Our two-week, music-themed summer camp culminated in a lot of singing and songwriting. As promised, ”It Takes Love” was co-created with 826LA summer campers and volunteers Ned, Shak, and Marelana! Take a listen!

10. Celebrated with Scientists! We held a Kid-Centered 10th Anniversary Celebration for Mar Vista in February!  Featuring Lily Simonson, author of the choose-your-own-adventure book Antarctica Lily will be in conversation with scientists zooming in from Antarctica.