Writing is an act of joy and freedom. It has the power to open doors and catalyze new possibilities for young people. Through pencils, pens, and keyboards, our students conjure universes, build understanding and empathy, and write their paths forward.
Through our nine chapters and 826 Digital, we invite students to think critically and write about the world we live in. Whether they’re writing about the complexity of their own identities or confronting issues like climate crisis, gun violence, and education inequality, they’re raising their voices and calling out the injustices they see in their communities. This holiday season, we hope you’ll consider making a gift to 826 National so more students can access the transformative power and joy of writing.
Your support makes publishing projects like Poets in Revolt! possible. This new collection of student writing challenged students to draw meaningful connections between poetry and social justice. We made the lesson available to students and educators everywhere on 826 Digital alongside a national call for youth poetry submissions. The resulting book is a vital document of this moment in youth voice and activism and a manifestation of 826 National’s vision for students to use their powerful voices to combat injustice and write their visions for a better future.
This vision is also informing our work ahead. At the beginning of this school year, we began a collaboration with The New York Times best-selling author and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds. Jason exclusively released his video poem, For Every One, on 826 Digital to inspire students and teachers to celebrate youth voice and the pursuit of dreams. That inspiration is carrying us through a year-long project about identity and place, sparked by Jason’s resources on 826 Digital and featuring students from across the 826 Network. Projects like these have the power to open minds, unlock opportunities, and change narratives. They’re only possible because of the generosity of supporters like you.
826 National is committed to providing the highest quality writing instruction to young authors regardless of the classroom or living room where they sit and to offering unparalleled resources to educators and caregivers free of cost. The 826 National Network’s free writing programs, resources, tutoring, and publishing opportunities reach almost 110,000 students ages 6 to 18 across the country. Through 826 Digital, we also provide inspiring, relevant, and free teaching resources to more than 9,500 educators and caregivers.
This holiday season, we hope you’ll consider supporting our mission so we can introduce more young people to the power of writing and world-building. Donate today to help us keep publishing and amplifying the diverse voices of our nation’s youth.
[maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://www.classy.org/campaign/826-nationals-2020-giving-tuesday-campaign/c309562″ ]
