"We're passionate about helping break down the ratio in classrooms where teachers often have over 30 students. Can you imagine what it must be like for teachers in classes that large to give their students the individualized attention needed to help them develop their writing? I know firsthand what it can be like, since I was a teacher for eight years in San Francisco. In fact, that's how I initially became involved with 826." read more>>

"While we’re on the subject of the importance of design to the success of nonprofits, let’s take a moment to contemplate the standard bearer: 826 National." read more>>

Companies have begun utilizing new techniques to run successful corporations. One such innovator, Pact, designs organic cotton underwear and donates portions of their proceeds to several nonprofits, including 826 National. read more>>

“The Pirate Supply Store attracts many San Francisco passersby. It's stocked with pirate necessities like seasickness tablets, anti-gangrene medicine and designer glass eyes. But it's the room beyond that is the real treasure. Bustling with kids, volunteers, parents and teachers, 826 Valencia is a place where pirate fans and landlubbers alike can develop their writing skills.” read more>>

“In the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, home to urban creatives and immigrant Latino families, a storefront displaying a life-sized robot greeting a caveman could be mistaken for just another vintage clothing store.” read more>>

“In the podcast and web versions of this show, there is another story as Act II, called "Playground Politics." In this act, kids from the after-school literacy program "826" in Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Chicago and Ann Arbor read letters they wrote to Barack Obama.”

Click on the links below to hear MP3 of the reading.

Alexis Feliciano, age 9, Brooklyn

Chandler Browne, age 12, Chicago

Chanel Jones, age 12, Oakland

Chatham Singh, age 9, Los Angeles

Georgia Peckman, age 12, San Francisco

Heaven Willis, age 13, Chicago

Henri Fitz Maurice, age 11, Seattle

Giselle Perez and Jennifer Munoz, age 11 and 12, San Francisco

Sheenie Shannon Yip, age 13, Seattle

Stephanie Aguilar, age 10, Los Angeles

Weslie Jackson, age 12, Chicago

“Students at 826 National, a network of nonprofit after-school tutoring programs, were asked what Barack Obama should do now. Their considered advice appears in a new book edited by Jory John.” read more>>

“Death by cuteness. Not such a bad way to go. And since all proceeds benefit 826 National’s writing centers for children, it’s a worthy sacrifice.” read more>>

“Eight-year-old Bushra Habbas-Nimer of Ann Arbor will surely tune in for today's broadcast of the public radio program "This American Life." That's because Bushra is part of a segment titled "The Inauguration Show," when people from all over the country offer their feelings about the new president. ” read more>>

“Fourteen of the letters included in the book were written by Seattle students, who jumped at the chance, said executive director Teri Hein.

"Most of them have been raised in a world where things have been looking pretty grim for a long time," Hein said. "And all of a sudden they are living in an environment of hope, despite the lousy economy and everything else.” read more>>

“The first letters were mostly humorous. But as more came in from across the country, many were extremely heartfelt, and even more provided practical advice. The title of the book came from a five-paragraph letter by 13-year-old San Franciscan Yoselin Martinez, who gives advice on environmental issues and immigration before telling her own story.” read more>>

“For the (826) students, the election of Barack Obama had overturned their world... We decided to channel this energy into a writing assignment. We asked (them) to offer their thoughts, hopes and advice to Mr. Obama in handwritten letters (many of which came with drawings). Here is the result of their work.” read more>>

Author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Dave Eggers writes about the future of reading. read more>>

" In 2002, veteran school teacher Nínive Clements Calegari and author Dave Eggers co-founded 826 Valencia. Since then, chapters have been established in Los Angeles, Chicago, Brooklyn, Seattle, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Boston under the umbrella of 826 National. In addition to heading 826 National, Calegari currently is helping produce a documentary film as part of the Teacher Salary Project. PND recently spoke to Calegari about 826 National, public school reform, and developments in the teacher salary movement." read more>>

"Edwin Gonzalez, 17, another student editor, hopes the book will shine fresh light on the way people view his school and others like it. “I think the students won’t be looked at as gangsters or ghetto people, but as scholars and people who can actually think,” said Gonzalez, who plans to write with 826 Boston next year." read more>>

"Past the mannequins wearing the latest in crime-fighting attire, tucked behind a hidden door, there's a spacious room filled with bookshelves, couches and tables." read more>>

"STORIES SPILL out of English High - about being the nation's oldest high school, about alumni such as Mr. Spock (actor Leonard Nimoy), about becoming a failing school that the state has threatened to close." read more>>

"On Friday night, we put on our best suit of chain-mail armor, grabbed our sword, and journeyed to the Superhero Supply Store in Brooklyn, using our arcane Elvish tracking abilities to locate the secret door (hidden behind a bookcase) leading to the back-room dungeon which played home to Dungeons & Dragons (With Girls!), 826NYC's latest charity fund-raiser." read more>>

"Boston is a hub of scientific innovation. But one field of study has been low profile here....until now." read more>>

"I was to approach slowly, like a mailman on a new route, and gingerly pass along the messages I carried without disturbing the life within.That in mind, I took a seat in a classroom at John Marshall Alternative School to tutor high-school students who wanted to write essays for a book to be published by the 826 Seattle writing program." read more>>

But it was Eggers who stole the show. In a hilarious, rambling speech that had the crowd roaring with laughter and applauding in appreciation, the 37-year-old writer made his wish:

"I wish that you - you personally and every creative individual and organization you know - will find a way to directly engage with a public school in your area and that you'll then tell the story of how you got involved, so that within a year we have 1,000 examples of transformative change." read more>>

"For the professional buccaneer, there's really no question as to where to go for the best in affordable pirate supplies. At 826 Valencia in the Mission District, there are eye patches, parrots, peg legs, hook protectors and planks by the foot. There are helpful guides on the pirates' code of ethics ('Cannons Shall Not Be Fired in Vain') and unacceptable slang ('Well, tickle my pits')." read more>>

"Roxbury’s 826 Boston won’t open its cryptozoology supply store until this spring at the earliest, but the creative and expository writing center (an offshoot of 826 National, which began in San Francisco) is offering free writing workshops and one-on-one tutoring." read more>>

"Play began at noon in the 826NYC Writing Center, located behind the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. storefront, and lasted for seven hours. Several teams headed to Bonnie's Grill afterward to celebrate their cheating ways." read more>>

"'Across the spectrum of our program, from workshops to the after-school tutoring program, our students are provided with a great opportunity to work with our volunteers, which include professionals,' said Daniel Johnson, executive director of 826 Boston." read more>>

"Musicians, lawyers, teachers, and university students are among 826 Michigan's 125 active volunteer scribes set on passing their passion for the pen to the younger generation. "I think why some of us do it is it sort of takes you back a little bit," explains tutor and University of Michigan graduate student Rachel Lieberman." read more>>

"The free tutoring is offered to any child age 6 to 18 but is aimed at kids in the public school system whose parents might not be able to assist with homework because they hold down several jobs or can't speak English. The volunteers also teach writing workshops and English-language classes, go to public schools to help teach writing and aid kids in getting their essays published in books and magazines." read more>>

"At the grand opening of the Echo Park Time Travel Mart on Dec. 15, the Robot Emotions were going like hot cakes (happiness and schadenfreude were the top sellers). The mystery product Chubble, on the other hand, available in more than 50 different varieties, wasn't really moving. A worker dressed like a cowboy shrugged. "It's really hot in the future." read more>>

"I think Dave has been a model of somebody wise enough to do good, other-centered things with his good fortune," says author George Saunders, recipient of a 2006 MacArthur Fellowship. "And the 826 centers strike me as being so right-hearted and efficient, just in terms of teaching kids about the importance of the word in our culture." read more>>

A peculiar building in Egleston Square will open soon under an equally peculiar name: the Greater Boston Bigfoot Research Institute. read more>>

"826 Seattle develops next generation's authors: Creative writing majors take note."
Ben Schock
The Daily of the University of Washington
October 11, 2007

One wouldn’t think, when walking past a space travel supply store, that hidden inside was a nationally renown and highly respected writing tutor facility for grade-school students of all ages. 826 Seattle is a chapter of 826 National, an organization founded by author Dave Eggers to help children expand on their literary creativity. read more>>

"Eggers wins Heinz award"
Charles Storch
Chicago Tribune
September 12, 2007

Dave Eggers, an author and advocate for fresh literary voices and fledgling writers, is one of six winners of this year's $250,000 Heinz Awards, cited for hisleadership in the arts and humanities. read more>>

"Greenwood space travel store 'not what it seems'"
Rebekah Schilperoort
Ballard News-Tribune
September 4, 2007

On display in the window of the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. are retro his-and-hers space suits and a Space Vehicle Hull Repair Hatch, labeled "for emergency use only." read more>>

"A heartwarming tale of staggering genius"
Eva Wolchover
Boston Herald
September 2, 2007

Once upon a time, in fact earlier this very summer, teens at English High in Jamaica Plain were- and one is coming true right now. read more>>

"Author’s writing centers stretch kids’ creativity"
Christopher Borrelli
Toledo Blade
August 19, 2007

A typical 826 workshop is a little Letterman, a little performance art, and a lot like the coolest English class you never sat through. read more>>

"Their 'final' is a beginning for young authors"
James Ricci
Los Angeles Times
August 19, 2007

"They loved writing from the first day," Cometa said. "They loved telling their stories. They wanted people to hear their stories. Reading was also a big focus. We told them you have to see how authors do it, so you can take strategies from them, see how they use dialogue, and so forth. More than half had never read a book before in their life." read more>>

"Ready for Their Brooklyn Close-Up: 826NYC and BAM team up to give some (very) young filmmakers their night in the sun"
Michelle Orange
The Reeler
August 13, 2007

I'll admit at the outset that there was very little chance of the following being anything but a love letter read more>>

As a public school teacher for nearly a decade, Nínive Clements Calegari learned firsthand, and often the hard way, that kids need one-on-one feedback to improve their writing -- a fact that large classes, constant lesson planning, and myriad administrative responsibilities get in the way of, no matter how determined the educator is. read more>>

"826CHI: Boosting local youths' writing cred one mustache at a time."
Gavin Paul Giovagnoli
Centerstage
Feb 26, 2007

Imagination is key when it comes to inspiring kids to write. So building a Boring Store as the source of funds for after-school center 826CHI would be a hard sell... if it weren't a super-duper, top-secret cover for what's actually a spy supply depot. read more>>

826 Boston will offer programs similar to those of the other chapters. It will support kids ages six to 18 in creative and expository writing. It will help teachers inspire their students to write. It will emphasize one-on-one attention. read more>>

In the windows of Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. are cans of Dark Matter brand rocket fuel, a box labeled "Gravity" and a full-sized chrome rocket bike straight from the 1950s. read more>>

"Can we be real people?" Host Judd Apatow put the question to a sellout crowd that gathered Tuesday night. . . read more>>

. . .826 is hard-wired into the local music scene. "Chris Bathgate teaches a songwriting workshop for students here," Sumerton says, "and Actual Birds and Frontier Ruckus have been involved in 826 benefits before. read more>>

826 Valencia began generating interest on a national scale "almost at the very beginning," remembers Calegari, who not only helped Eggers start 826 but is now 826 National's executive director. In the early stages, she was receiving multiple calls every day from people who wanted help doing exactly what she was doing. "What I felt at the beginning was, gosh, it took us so much time to figure out how to do some of the back end work of founding a nonprofit and getting everything up and running that, I thought, if I could save other people that time, I would love to." read more>>

Eggers’ philanthropic pursuits, in the form of a chain of nonprofit learning centers for kids called 826, have not only burnished his reputation as a true-of-heart publisher. . . read more>>

In theory, tutoring at 826 is pretty straightforward. From 3 to 5:30 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, about 40 kids, most of whom are ages 6 to 11, drop in to do homework, aided by volunteers who look ripped from the pages of The Hipster Handbook. read more>>

The volunteer tutors of 826LA's writing center -- and 826's branches across the country -- offer more than help with homework: They give kids a chance to fulfill their dreams. read more>>

A nonprofit group in New York called 826NYC is helping a group of six-to-nine-year-olds make a video tutorial for Google, while a set of older kids is filming a claymation short. read more>>

Paperblanks™, manufacturers of distinctively designed journals, address books and dayplanners, and 826 Seattle, the city's only free nonprofit writing and tutoring center for children and young adults, today announced the inception of the first-ever "Three Elements" writing contest. read more>>

"A benefit for child literacy hits home for me," Daily Show host Jon Stewart told the sold out audience at "Revenge of the Book Eaters," a benefit for 826NYC at the Beacon Theater Wednesday night, "because every night, before I put my son to bed, we sit down [pause] and we watch a benefit together." read more>>

While the show posed the playful -- and presumably rhetorical -- question: "Words or Music - Which Is Better?" there was little to contest during the near three-hour evening of music, readings and earnest appeals for donations. read more>>

If someone gave him sympathy, Devonte Parsons would take it. Life has hit him hard, between his father's murder and all that trouble at school. read more>>

Eggers also founded 826 Valencia, a tutoring program for kids in San Francisco that is expanding nationwide. read more>>

Churches offered their basements. Community clubs offered spare rooms. But Teri Hein could not, in good conscience, say yes to any of it. She wanted this free tutoring center of hers to be kind of a wild, whimsical space for kids. She wanted, specifically, to design it around the theme of space travel. read more>>

Listen, here’s a little good news, and couldn’t we all use it? When some gasbag starts barbering on about how rich kids are spoiled, poor kids are criminals and the world’s generally going to hell, tell the cynic about 826 Michigan. read more>>

Near the intersection at 85th Street and Greenwood Avenue, Teri Hein pulled over and we got out of her car. Old trees, old city storefronts, young people, buses, a bar. Hein approached a storefront with an "AVAILABLE" sign still stuck to its window and said, "Isn't this great?" We stepped inside. It was twice as wide as I'd expected—the size of two side-by-side storefronts, with a commanding view of the street. It was great. It is great. read more>>

Something happened last night in Seattle that knocked me so flat that now, the morning after, I can only try to make sense of it by writing it out. Bear with me. read more>>

Dave Eggers' creation 826LA didn't waste any time, blowing into Los Angeles (using the nonprofit model created by Eggers and others in the San Francisco Bay Area), finding a home at Beyond Baroque in Venice, setting up programs for school-age writers and publishing their work, all in under a year. read more>>

INGLEWOOD – Phil Jackson has been busy building his team anew, visiting with just about every player on the Lakers roster (Brian Cook has been out of town; Vlade Divac has been out of the country). Jackson has also been piecing together a coaching staff, confirming his talks with Scottie Pippen, who is indicating to those close to him that he'll be joining Jackson for this run.

In short, Jackson is back in business. read more>

Courtney King turns to Page 9 of her spanking-new book and heaves a satisfied sigh. There it is: her first published work. And she’s only 18.

“Its exciting,” she says, not taking her eyes off the page. “It’s like something new is starting in my life.” read more>>

“Imagine a place children go after school where it’s cool to do your homework,where working hard is fun,and where one-on-one help from supportive adults is always available. Sound a bit utopian?” read more>>

Dave Eggers, one of the brightest writing stars in the literary firmament, could be enjoying the high life offered an author of his growing stature: the parties, the talk shows, the lucrative speeches.

Instead, the 32-year-old best-selling author of "A Heartbreaking Work ofStaggering Genius" commutes every day from his Marin County home for an unpaid job at the 826 Valencia writing lab, investing his time and considerable fortune to help less privileged young people learn the craft that has fueled his career.

Named for its address in the Mission District, 826 Valencia is a unique educational work space for kids ages 8 to 18 who want to improve their writing skills through free tutoring, or learn new ones in workshops that range from cartooning to computers.

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