826 Valencia facts for kids
826 Valencia is a special non-profit group in San Francisco, California. It helps kids and young adults (like you!) become better writers. They also help teachers find fun ways to get their students excited about writing. This organization was so successful that it inspired 826 National, which now has many centers across the United States doing the same great work.
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What is 826 Valencia?
826 Valencia got its name from its first address on Valencia Street. It was started in 2002 by author Dave Eggers and experienced teacher Nínive Calegari. Both of them loved books and teaching.
This organization has three main centers. Each center has a writing lab where students can get help. There's also a fun store at the front that helps pay for the programs. Plus, they have two extra classrooms in nearby middle schools.
More than 1,400 volunteers help out at 826 Valencia. These volunteers include authors, filmmakers, and tutors. Because of their help, all the programs at 826 Valencia are completely free for students.
Since 2002, 826 Valencia has grown. They opened a second location in the Tenderloin area in 2016. A third location opened in the Mission Bay neighborhood in 2019.
Fun Writing Programs
826 Valencia offers many cool programs to help students with writing. These include:
- Programs that go into schools to help students there.
- Workshops where you can learn new writing skills.
- Field trips that inspire creativity.
- After-school tutoring for homework help.
- Student publishing, where kids can get their own stories and poems published!
The Pirate Supply Store
When you visit 826 Valencia, you'll find San Francisco's "only independent pirate supply store." This store is the front entrance to the writing center. It looks and feels like a real pirate shop!
You can buy pirate clothes, eyepatches, compasses, and spyglasses. They also sell pirate dice, skull flags, and secret treasures. Handmade signs around the store offer funny advice, like "Uses for Lard" or "Guidelines for New Shipmates." Sometimes, visitors even get a surprise "mopping" from the staff!
The store also sells books by 826 Valencia students. These books often have special introductions or drawings from famous people. For example, former San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom and actor Robin Williams have contributed to student books.
The Pirate Supply Store was created out of a need. When the founders couldn't find a regular space for their writing center, they found an empty store on Valencia Street. City rules said businesses in that area had to be retail shops. So, in 2002, they opened the Pirate Supply Store. It became the fun "front" for the writing center and helps pay for the free tutoring programs.
The Building's Mural
The outside of the 826 Valencia building has a fantastic mural. Famous cartoonist Chris Ware designed it. The mural shows how humans and their ways of communicating, like talking and writing, have grown over time.
Artists carefully painted the large mural, which is about 3.9 meters tall and 6 meters wide. Chris Ware wanted the mural to be something people in the neighborhood could enjoy every day. He hoped it would show respect for their intelligence and not just force a simple "message" on them.
How 826 Valencia Inspired Others
826 National
826 Valencia was so successful that it inspired many other similar projects across the United States. These are called 'chapters'. In late 2004, an organization called 826 National was created. It helps support all these different chapters.
Today, there are nine chapters that are part of 826 National:
- 826 Valencia in San Francisco.
- 826NYC in Brooklyn, New York.
- 826LA in Los Angeles, California.
- 826CHI in Chicago, Illinois.
- 826michigan serving Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Ypsilanti, Michigan.
- 826 Boston in Boston, Massachusetts.
- 826DC in Washington, DC.
- 826 New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- 826 MSP in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
International Influence
826 Valencia has also inspired similar writing centers in other countries. In 2018, many of these groups from around the world formed a network. This network helps them share ideas and support each other.
