We Believe

that great leaps in learning can come from one-on-one attention and that building writing skills leads to future success. For our city's youth, 826DC offers these opportunities - right in the heart of the District of Columbia. Make magic happen with us today.

"Try again. Fail again. Fail better."

"Every now and then, especially when struggling with words and writing, I think that I should tattoo [this Samuel Beckett quote] on my forehead so I can see it when I brush my teeth." -September Volunteer of the Month, Antonio Díaz Oliva

The 826DC Way

"There’s something about climbing, about obscurity, that makes spaces more fun and exciting. When I climb the 826DC steps, my imagination goes all over the place." -Olive Sherman, 826DC Intern, January 2017

Dear Freshman Self

Ivan Ango

This week's featured piece from the collection is "Dear Freshman Self" by Ivan Ango, first published in Get Used to the Seats. Reading Ivan's piece is Adam Mistler, a dedicated clerk for Tivoli's Astounding Magic Supply who also helped select the works in this collection as a member of the Editorial Board.

Junior

This week's featured piece from the collection is "Malcolm X and Greg" by Junior, first published in the After-School Tutoring chapbook, How to Act Like a Human. Reading it for us is Julie, a fifth grader who currently attends After-School Tutoring.

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A gift of any amount helps make our creative writing programs free for district students.

Support 826DC

Student Publishing

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Publishing young authors is kind of our thing.

After-school Tutoring

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We want your homework. Seriously.

Field Trips

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Creative and project-based fun.

Writing Workshops

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Free workshops that foster creativity.

Reading All-stars

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Saturday morning reading program.

In-Schools

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Flexible and Teacher-Driven In-School Residencies.

What's New

Featured News, Press and stories from 826DC

Help us meet our annual goal

Thanks to your incredible support during Do More 24, we're already 1/3 of the way there! Support DC young authors with a donation to help us reach our goal by June 30.

Photojournalism

Intern Lara discusses how students of Young Authors' Book Project observed pictures of social injustice and the feelings and memories they evoked. This began a project of photojournalism, in which the students brainstormed ways they could capture their time attending Bruce Monroe, images that represent the school and their experience there.

Mentorship

The students from the two schools working on Young Authors' Book Project come together as the high school students from SEED mentor the 5th graders from Bruce Monroe. This experience offered confidence building for the SEED students and learning and support for the Bruce Monroe students. Together, both groups observed the gap that lies between their grades and the memories (or wonderings of the future) that shape their identity.

Defining a singular moment with help from “the 5 W’s”

Intern Lara discusses how students in the Young Authors' Book Project establish the 5 W's-Who, What, When, Where, and Why-to help them explore and brainstorm on a topic that will eventually grow into a piece inspired by a specific moment.

Having To Tell Your Mother Is the Hardest Part

We are so excited to announce the arrival of our next student publication! Having To Tell Your Mother Is the Hardest Part is a collection of personal narratives written by students from Bruce Monroe @ Park View Elementary and the SEED School of Washington, DC.

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