There are few organizations that I like more than 826 National (and all of their regional affiliates, for that matter). The organization combines writing, community and pirates. Few places/people/things/nouns have established such an utterly perfect Venn Diagram.
In honor of National Youth Literacy Day on August 26, 2011, 826 National invites you to try your hand at writing projects like those offered to students at 826 centers nationwide. Founded in 2002 by award-winning author Dave Eggers and educator Ninive Calegari, 826 centers provide under-resourced students, ages 6-18, with opportunities to explore their creativity and improve their writing skills. The organization marks National Youth Literacy Day on August 26 as a way to celebrate the power of reading, writing, and self-expression.
826 National will be publishing entries beginning August 22, 2011 in their online Writing Gallery. Authors of the organization’s favorite entries will receive a gift bag full of 826 National merchandise. Projects include writing a haiku with 8-2-6 syllable lines, a short comprised of 82.6 words, and an 826 character news story.
For more information and to submit your poem or story, please visit http://www.826on826.
ABOUT 826 NATIONAL
826 National is a nonprofit organization that provides strategic leadership, administration, and other resources to ensure the success of its network of eight writing and tutoring centers whose goal is to assist students ages six to eighteen with their writing skills. Our work is rooted in the understanding that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success. Last year, with the help of 5,000 dedicated volunteers, our centers—which are located in Ann Arbor, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.— served 24,000 students.
And if you’re interested in the 826 Vancouver movement please let me know, as powerful people are doing powerful things as you read this. It’s time to get inspired, folks!