826LA provides various literacy programs to students in Los Angeles, including after-school tutoring, field trips to their writing labs, in-school support, and writing workshops on evenings and weekends. Last year they served over 1,500 students through these programs. Students and teachers praised the programs for improving students' reading skills, confidence, and engagement with writing.

2. The Echo Park Time Travel Mart

11. After-school tutoring

12. Last year, 826LA provided 208 days of drop-in tutoring at our Venice and Echo Park centers, and served 230 different students. This was made possible with the support of over 215 volunteers.

14. “ With 35 to 45 hours of tutoring, a student can improve his or her reading skills by a grade level.” –“ L iteracy Facts,” County of Los Angeles Public Library Literacy Office, March 2007

19. “ I’m so grateful 826 opened a place in my neighborhood, because for the first time it actually feels like a neighborhood. Also, learning to be a tutor is just so fun. I mean, going through all the tools of language you’d forgotten were even there, rediscovering them, and then seeing someone else discover them for the first time? Is there anything that makes you feel more useful?” – Stacy Doran, tutor

22. “ The opportunity to have positive role models who are outside the family’s sphere of influence has helped my children’s confidence and solidified what they’ve learned at school and at home.” –Kathleen Whitfield, parent

24. Field trips

25. Last year 826LA welcomed 549 students, from 25 different classrooms across Los Angeles, to their writing labs for afternoon field trips.

27. “ I was very excited making our own adventure book in a group. That day I showed my mom the book. She loved it and she thought it was really funny. My favorite part was when the book was bound together in the machine!” – Ricardo Perez, Mayberry Elementary School

30. In-schools

31. Last year 826LA provided 718 students over 129 days of one-on-one support at their schools.

33. “ It’s amazing what you do for these kids! As teachers, sometimes we feel like no one in the ‘outside’ world cares. Thanks again.” – Lisa Whelan, teacher

35. “ In the most disadvantaged schools, the average literacy achievement score in grade 10 lies somewhere between mean achievement for grades 5 and 6 in the most affluent schools.” – A. Rice, Public Policy Institute of California, 2003

37. Workshops

38. 310 students came to 826LA East and West in the evenings and on weekends to take workshops last year. Over 180 volunteers helped teach and support these students.

40. “ It was fun to ‘time travel’ and see how the machine worked... I will definitely tell my friends about this!” - Olivia Wood, student from the EPRICoTT workshop

42. “ At the elementary level, almost all kids spend less than 3 hours a week writing, far less than they spend with TV.” – Th e Neglected “ R” : The Need for a Writing Revolution , The National Commission on Writing in America Schools and Colleges, 2003

45. Publishing

46. “ Yo u are great publishers. I think I might want to be a publisher.” – Brenda Franco, student, Ellen Ochoa Learning Center, Los Angeles

49. “ Wi th school districts’ current focus on testing, forays into creative writing have become rare in English classes. After having met with the staff of 826LA, I knew that I would have the support – bo th moral and professional – th at I would need to embark upon a meaningful, challenging, and creative approach to student writing.” — Jane Patterson, teacher, Marshall High School, Los Angeles