Here’s a photograph of one of our favorite volunteers, Bentley, taken by a student at our People Eating and Giving Fundraiser last week.

See more here.

Thanks to everyone who donated. Because of you, we raised thousands of dollars for creative writing and tutoring programs for kids just like these photographers. 

writingprompts:

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Here are a few of the costumes our attendees for to 826CHI’s Internet-themed fundraiser, PROMDOTCOM. With their help, we raised a grand total of A LOT of money for Chicago students.

And here they are, getting photobombed by a wily squirrell. If you teach squirrels to party for youth literacy, it’s next to impossible to get rid of them.

You can see more photos of our attendees here. 

We hope to see you at next year’s prom!
 

They’ll all be at our upcoming fundraiser dinner, People Eating & Giving, on Wednesday, May 9th.

This year, PEG will be taking place at the University Club of Chicago. A small number of individual tickets are still available for $125 each. Remember, all of the money raised from this and other 826CHI events goes toward promoting creative writing and tutoring programs for Chicago’s youth.

BONUS: Donate $5 to our center this very second (alternatively: within these next 72 hours) and you will be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to the event.

One our our students reads his work in our latest chapbook, Act Like I Was There The Whole Time.

Come pick up your copy at the Boring Store today!

At our latest chapbook release party, one of our students was too shy to read her work, so a brave tutor came up to help her out.

Check out our newest chapbook, Act Like I Was There The Whole Time, at 826CHI and the Boring Store today!

bentleyff:

my rocket lifts off

to deliver laser wolves

to planet dance-off

Our next chapbook has an Action and Adventure theme.

Stay tuned! 

826national:

We are design fans, music fans, AND t-shirt fans - so we’re thrilled to be a part of this contest! Head over to Veer to submit your design inspired by this quote from Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy’s favorite books, Don Quixote: 

“I can no more remember one syllable of it than the shapes of last year’s clouds.”

You could win a bevy of prizes, including tickets to a show and a Wilco album, as well as have your work immortalized on a shirt. Best of all, proceeds will support the 826 chapters in New York and Chicago! Can’t wait to see what you guys come up with, so enter today*!

* - Today is especially appropriate, as it’s the anniversary of Cervantes’ (and Shakespeare’s) death.  

by Ehmely, Grade 3

Dear everyone,

This message is to help you be a pro at hide-and-seek.

1. Never hide where they can find you.

2. Hide where someone has never hidden before.

3. Move to places each time they check there, but don’t get caught. For example: If someone checks in a bush, hide there when they’re gone.

4. If somebody hides with you, kick them out so they move and get found.

5. If you play at night wear some clothes that are black or dark blue.

6. Never let anybody see you.

7. If you’re it, look at places where you can find them.

8. Never be it. If you’re it and everybody hides and you’re playing in the dark you’re not going to be able to see anybody.

9. Don’t get caught. If somebody kicks you pull them so that you can hide behind them and they get caught.

HERE ARE SOME PLACES TO AVOID:

1. Never hide behind a pole because it’s too skinny.

2. Never hide behind a fire hydrant because it’s too short.

3. Never hide behind the person who’s counting because they might look back and see you.

4. To avoid being it, keep an eye on the seeker and make sure they don’t see you.

5. The best places to hide are up a ladder and up a tree.

Good luck!

Sincerely,

Ehmely

From our newest chapbook, Act Like I Was There The Whole Time. These stories and observations by our 826CHI students all center around the theme of hide and seek, being lost, and getting found.

Stop in at the Boring Store and pick up your copy today!

onehundreddollars:

Today’s big 826CHI project.

Prompts and illustrations by yours truly.

mkczarnecki:

PROMDOTCOMDOTBIZ, 826CHI. Awesome event to raise money to fund all sorts of creative writing goodies for kids!

The Interns and the Internettes! Also, a squirrell.

Prom Dot Com was a huge success. Thank you to everyone who came out to support creative writing programs for kids!

livingphilanthropic:

@826CHI is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

Visit The Boring Store: http://www.notasecretagentstore.com/

Take the Living Philanthropic Challenge Options:

Pledge $1 a day for the month of April ($30)

Give once. Give Everyday.

Make your contribution to the Team Page: https://www.giveback.org/pages/cause/cause.aspx?cid=30702

Want to be a guest blogger on Living Philanthropic?

Join the team and donate on this page & submit your blog post about why you made a contribution here: http://bit.ly/lp-blogger

Here’s a fantastic documentary about our space and the work we do here.

Thanks again to Living Philanthropic for putting this all together in one place. 

livingphilanthropic:

The 826CHI annual fundraiser will take place at the Stan Mansion, one of many places that exist in two places, on a street very close to the Logan Square blue line L stop and on the web. To thwart any possible confusion, the event will take place at this address: 2408 North Kedzie, Chicago, IL 60647, not this address: http://www.stanmansion.com.

They encourage folks to dress in second-hand formal finest and/or as a person, place or meme from the Internet.

Tickets are 20 bitcoin or $40 [$50 at the door] and can be purchased … through the very internet we’re celebrating. Ticket includes bottomless cups of Haymarket beer, Virtue Cider, snacks, access to a silent auction, music, and dancing, dancing, dancing. All proceeds from the evening go to support 826CHI’s free writing programs for thousands of Chicago students.

Get Tickets here: http://www.826chi.org/prom/home.html? (Beware of flashing .gifs)

CONTEST: If you would like to win a chance to be my guest, I have an extra ticket and will give it to one lucky random person, who donates $20 or more to the team page. Winner will be notified on Thursday, April 19th at 10am CST. Airfare and Lodging not provided. Make a donation for chance to win here: http://www.crowdrise.com/lp-826chi

Who WOULDN’T want to go to 826CHI’s prom is the better question!

SPECIAL OFFER: If you order your ticket using the code EDOCTNUOCSID, you will receive a $10 discount. Act fast!

adventuresinlearning:

royaltorch:

When I first began my grad program, I had to watch this video in order to complete an assignment for my Arts and Education course.

It’s been on my mind recently and with all my new education friends on here, I had to share.  

:) 

Watch this short but powerful video! I been thinking a lot about how adults’ fears impact our education system and how we interact with children… this video highlights it perfectly!

(Source: youtube.com)

optikblast:

Written by Karina, Grade Unknown…