826LA
1714 W SUNSET BOULEVARD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90026 www.826la.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: 826LA IS DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING STUDENTS AGES 6 TO 18 WITH THEIR CREATIVE AND EXPOSITORY WRITING SKILLS AND TO HELPING TEACHERS INSPIRE THEIR STUDENTS TO WRITE.

826LA PROVIDES FREE TUTORING, WRITING, AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN.

IN-SCHOOL SUPPORT: 826LA WRITERS' ROOMS ARE VIBRANT AND WELCOMING CLASSROOMS AT TWO HIGH SCHOOLS IN LOS ANGELES. IN FISCAL YEAR 2020, 826LA RAN 219 SESSIONS AT MANUAL ARTS AND ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOLS, SERVING 1419 STUDENTS AND 39 TEACHERS. PROJECTS INCLUDED STUDENTS INTERVIEWING VOLUNTEERS IN ORDER TO WRITE PERSUASIVE ESSAYS ON COLLEGE EXPERIENCE, COMING OF AGE, AND FINDING IDENTITY; ANALYZING THE ETHICS OF SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS THROUGH THE STUDY OF HENRIETTA LACKS; HOLDING MOCK INTERVIEWS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THEIR LA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PAID INTERNSHIP INTERVIEWS; AND CRAFTING IMMIGRATION NARRATIVES. ONCE PROGRAMS MOVED ONLINE, STUDENTS CONTINUED TO EXPLORE THEMSELVES THROUGH WRITING, PUBLISHING ESSAYS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BY 45 STUDENTS AT MANUAL ARTS, AND PARTICIPATING IN VIRTUAL VISITS FROM NICKELODEON SCREENWRITERS AND OTHER AUTHORS IN OUR WRITERS IN THE WRITERS' ROOM SERIES.826LA ALSO PUBLISHED MULTIPLE BOOKS FEATURING THE WRITING OF STUDENTS AT THE WRITERS' ROOMS. IN THE SPIRIT OF CELEBRATION AND REFLECTION, WE PUBLISHED THE SUN WAS TRYING TO TELL ME SOMETHING, A COMPENDIUM OF STUDENT WRITING FROM 15 YEARS OF 826LA'S WORK IN HIGH SCHOOLS. THIS SPECIAL BOOK SERVES AS A TIMELY REMINDER THAT YOUNG PEOPLE FROM UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES ALSO COME FROM TRADITIONS OF RESILIENCE AND CREATIVITY. THE ANTHOLOGY FEATURES EXCERPTS FROM OUR ANNUAL FLAGSHIP PUBLICATION, THE YOUNG AUTHORS' BOOK PROJECT, AND OUR PARTNERSHIP PUBLICATION WITH THE ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL ETHNIC STUDIES PROGRAM. IT ALSO INCLUDES INTRODUCTORY ESSAYS BY DONALD BAKEER, DOLORES HUERTA, PHIL JACKSON, ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA, ALICE WATERS, AND MORE. IN-PERSON AND ONLINE, COLLEGE ACCESS REMAINED A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF 826LA'S WORK AT MANUAL ARTS AND ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOLS. PERSONAL STATEMENT TUTORING SESSIONS WERE HELD AT BOTH SCHOOLS IN FALL 2019 AND ON OCTOBER 19 AND 20, 2019, 826LA HELD IT'S 10TH ANNUAL GREAT LOS ANGELES PERSONAL STATEMENT WEEKEND (GLAPSW) AT MANUAL ARTS HIGH SCHOOL. OVER 250 COLLEGE-BOUND SENIORS SHOWED UP READY TO WORK FOR THEIR DREAMS ALONGSIDE OVER 250 VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDED ONE-TO-ONE WRITING AND EDITING SUPPORT. IN THE SPRING, 826LA HELPED 67 COLLEGE-BOUND SENIORS EARN MONEY FOR COLLEGE VIA THE VIRTUAL SCHOLARSHIP PROJECT AND COLLABORATED WITH COLLEGE COUNSELORS TO HOST PERSONAL STATEMENT TRAININGS FOR JUNIORS. OVER THE SUMMER, WE PROVIDED RISING SENIORS WITH VIDEOS AND WORKSHEETS THAT VOLUNTEERS USED TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL PERSONAL STATEMENT SUPPORT THROUGH OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS COLLEGE TRACK BOYLE HEIGHTS, GREEN DOT, AND INNER CITY ARTS.

TUTORING (AFTER-SCHOOL): IN THE FALL SEMESTER, 826LA WORKED WITH 108 STUDENTS TO WRITE AND REVISE PIECES FOR POSSIBLE INCLUSION IN AN ANTHOLOGY PUBLISHING PROJECT WITH 826 VALENCIA AND 826 NATIONAL, FUNDED BY THE CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY. FROM THE START, STUDENTS WERE VERY ENGAGED IN THE PROMPT TO WRITE ABOUT A COMMUNITY HERO; VOLUNTEERS NOTED THAT STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO MEANINGFULLY CONNECT WITH THE PROMPTS AS THEY WROTE ABOUT PEOPLE IMPORTANT TO THEM, CRAFTING IMAGINATIVE STORIES AND HEARTFELT NARRATIVES HONORING PARENTS, SCHOOL SECURITY GUARDS, AND EVEN THE FAMILY DOG. SINCE ALL 108 STUDENTS COULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL PUBLICATION, WE CREATED A SPECIAL CROSS-TOWN STUDENT EDITORIAL BOARD. STUDENTS IN ECHO PARK AND MAR VISTA EXCHANGED WORK AND, IN SMALL GROUPS, EVALUATED A PIECE FROM A STUDENT AUTHOR THAT THEY'D NEVER MET BEFORE. STUDENTS RECEIVED AN EVALUATION ASSESSMENT SHEET AND RATED EACH PIECE ON METRICS THAT INCLUDED STORY, STRUCTURE, AND VOICE. THE FINAL PIECES, WRITTEN AND SELECTED BY TUTORING PROGRAM STUDENTS, WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE ANTHOLOGY THIS YEAR.

WORKSHOPS: IN EARLY 2020, 826LA ASKED STUDENTS: WHAT DOES THE VIDEO GAME FORTNITE HAVE IN COMMON WITH THE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE? BOTH CAN TEACH US A LOT ABOUT HOW NEW WORDS AND PHRASES ARE CREATED AND POPULARIZED. OUR FORTNITE-THEMED WORKSHOPS QUICKLY BECAME A STUDENT FAVORITE, WITH DEMANDS FOR NEW SESSIONS THAT 826LA HAPPILY OBLIGED. LIKE SHAKESPEARE AND FORTNITE, STUDENTS USED INVENTIVE LANGUAGE TO CREATE FABULOUS TREASURES, DESCRIBE DEFENSIVE FORTIFICATIONS, AND PLAN DARING HEISTS DURING THIS NEW WORKSHOP. DRAWING ON MYTHOLOGY, LITERATURE, AND POP CULTURE, THIS FUN-FILLED WORKSHOP WAS A PERFECT MATCH FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO GAME BY THEIR OWN RULES.

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