| Dear friends of 826 Valencia,
Did you know that we work with, on average, one hundred students a day? As I write this, fifty-six tutors are writing with fifty-six students at Thurgood Marshall High School, six tutors are in the Writers Room at Everett Middle School with a group of sixth graders, a class of twenty-five students is visiting from an elementary school to write a story together with our tutors, and in mere minutes, another crew of students and tutors will file in for after-school tutoring. And that’s just scratching the surface. All of this to say; we had a lot of Valentines to pass out.
If you’re reading this from the heart of a snowstorm, we hope you are cozy and have electricity. Wherever you are, settle in, because this month’s newsletter welcomes a new staff member, shows off three new books, and announces some big money for seniors on their way to college.
>> Our annual big book project is in full swing
>> Announcing our college scholarships for graduating seniors
>> Meet our newest staff member, Amy Popovich
>> Huge fun is in the works!
>> Make room for these gems on your bookshelf
>> Wish list
Our annual big book project is in full swing
This year’s Young Authors’ Book Project is taking place at Thurgood Marshall High School. For six hours each week, Ms. Davoudi and Ms. Dal Porto’s fifty-six juniors and seniors sit down with fifty-six 826 Valencia tutors to write about the idea of place.
Four weeks into the project, students and tutors have settled comfortably into working with one another; this week, first drafts are beginning to emerge and students are delving into the editing process. We are incredibly excited of the work that is unfolding, all of which expresses a strong sense of place — whether it be their hometowns, memory palaces, or the Kentucky Fried Chicken down the street. Stay tuned for the book’s release in May!
Announcing our college scholarships for graduating seniors
(photo by Kegan Marling)
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are able to award six $15,000 scholarships for students applying to college each year. Spread the word to all of the seniors in your life. This year’s deadline is March 7. Here are the guidelines.
Meet our newest staff member, Amy Popovich
Amy joined our staff as Production Coordinator this January. She was raised in Northern California and studied at UC Santa Barbara before completing an MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck, University of London. Despite the thriving literary scene and superior culinary opportunities, this California girl fled the London fog for the more familiar fog of San Francisco, which she now calls home. Before joining the design staff at 826, Amy volunteered as a writing tutor beginning in 2009 and as a designer in 2013. She has worked for a variety of publishing ventures, most recently running the production department at Night Shade Books, where she faithfully delivered Science Fiction and Fantasy to the masses on a monthly basis. When she’s not making books, you can usually find her at Mission Yoga, where she manages The Sun Room and trains at Quantum Martial Arts.
Huge fun is in the works
You might remember hearing about our annual luncheon fundraiser, which in the past has featured James Franco, Catherine Keener, Gus Van Sandt, Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, and Francis Ford Coppola. Heck, you may have even attended. Well, hang onto your forks, because we’re making some changes this year. We know that not everyone can leave work mid-day to hang out with their favorite director, so we’re going to hold this year’s event in the evening (think: gala). More details will be unveiled in the following weeks, so stay tuned!
Make room for these gems on your bookshelf
How many books have you made since our last newsletter? We’ve made three! Warm, Strong and Together was written by sixth-graders at James Lick Middle School and it features more than 200 delightful and weird poems from middle-school minds. This hearty chapbook leaves no sensory detail unexplained and contains poetry in both English and Spanish.
Our Writing and Publishing Apprentices churned out In All its Dark Blue Glory, a journal of prose, poetry, and persuasion from students ages 13 to 18.
And last but not least, we are thrilled to tell you about One Ostrich Egg & Your Voice, the new anthology from our collaboration at Buena Vista Horace Mann. Here, students share tales about vegetarian zombies, haunted houses, and desert islands.
Wish List
First, thank you to the gracious volunteer who heeded the call and donated a four-drawer filing cabinet and a sparkling new (to us!) microwave. We’ve really upgraded our office digs due to your generosity.
Inspired by the influx of functioning equipment, we respectfully request Ikea gift cards of any amount to replace our desks that hail from the first dot-com era, and our Writing Lab chairs that wobble and bend. Please contact Lauren Hall.
Sitting is so last year. If you would like to donate a standing desk to us, please contact Olivia White Lopez.
Lights, cameras, wait, where’s the camera? We’d like to make videos to document and promote our books and programs. If you’ve got something for us, contact Olivia White Lopez.
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