1. HowWeDoIt
PartTwo:
Youhavebeenbriefedandreceivedthehighestsecurityclearance—
youarenowreadytobeginyourfieldwork.Asasecretagent,here’s
whatyouneedtoknowtocarryoutourmissiontoinspireChicago’s
youthtowriteandpublish.
It’sreallynosecret:at826CHIwelovewritingandwelovethe
writingprocess—it’severythingawriterdoesfromthemomentyou
startthinkingaboutaprojectuntilthemomentyoushareyour
finalpiecewithanaudience.Weinfusetheentireprocesswithjoy,
enthusiasm,andenergy,ignitingthatcreativesparktogetyoupast
anylatentdreadorpressure.
Here'showwetalkaboutthewritingprocessat826CHI:
Pre-writing:Gatherideasandinspiration.
Nothingismoreintimidatingthanablankpage.Everygreatwriter
hasstaredblanklyoutacloudywindowandstruggledwithwriter’s
block,butitdoesn’thavetobethatway!Gatheryourbestideasby
talkingitout,makingalist,usingagraphicorganizer,researching
afascinatingtopic,orfree-writing.
Who We Are
Part One:
826CHIactivitiesaredesignedaroundstudents’
needsandinterests,ratherthana“onesizefitsall”
approach.Volunteersactasfacilitatorswhofoster
discovery.Thoughweprovidewritingprompts,
studentshavethefreedomtomaketheirown
creativechoicesandoftenfollowsurprisingleads
andconcepts.Acrossprograms,wedeveloplearning
opportunitiesresponsivetostudents’skilllevelsand
adaptwritingactivitiesandassignmentstomeet
theneedsandinterestsofourstudents.
Student-Centered
Interdisciplinary
Across 826CHI programs, we value interdisciplinary
teaching and learning that draws from a variety
of artistic disciplines and different lenses.
826CHI supports young authors as they explore
writing as journalists, poets, animators, painters,
graphic artists, humorists, adventurers, scientists
and beyond. We challenge and expand notions of
writing by building communication skills that can
be applied to a variety of settings and contexts
throughout our students’ lives.
CODE
THE
HOW TO BE A SECRET AGENT
Drafting:GetStarted.
Yourideadoesn'thavetobeperfect.Thisstageintheprocessisabout
GETTINGITDOWNonthepageevenifit'smessyorimperfect.Trust
theprocess—therewillbetimetoreviselater!
Revising:Makeitbetter.
Itcanfeelbigandscarytoaskyourselfhowyoucanmakeyour
writingevenbetter.Takeadeepbreath.Revisionisaprocessof
strengtheningyourideas;addingtoorchangingthestructureofyour
firstdraft.Almostallwriterscompletemultipledraftsduringthe
revisionprocess.Asyoureceivefeedback,yourconfidencebuildsand
yourvisionsharpensintofocus.
Editing:Clarifyit.
Editinggetsabadrap,doesn’tit?Itcanfeelnitpickytofocuson
grammaticalerrorsorstructuralconundrums.Wethinkit’s
importanttomakethewordsappearexactlyasyoumeanit.Think
ofeditingasanexerciseinaudienceperception.Inadditionto
clarifyingthevoiceandtoneofyourwriting,editingheightensthe
impactofyourstory.
Publishing:Shareyourmasterpiece.
Congrats,you’vefinishedyourpiece!Nowit’stimetoshareand
celebrateit.Believethattheworldwillbebetterwithyourwritingin
it.Publishingyourworkistheultimatewaytocompletethewriting
cycle.Oncewe’vecelebratedyourchapbook,blog,orperformance,
it’sbacktopre-writingforyournextmasterpiece.
826CHI is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students
ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to
helping teachers inspire their students to write. Across our five core
programs, you’ll find these ten qualities woven throughout:
Writingisanactofbravery.Wecreateasafe,
welcomingspaceforourstudentstofeelcomfortable
sharingtheirideasthroughwriting.The826CHI
communityismadeupofpassionatestaff,
volunteers,andcommunitypartnerswhotrulywant
tohearwhatourstudentshavetosay.Ourspaceis
fulloflaughter,kindness,freedom,andaffirmation.
Wedoeverythingwithinourpowertochampionour
students’ideaswithininourprograms.
Safe
CHI
826
We learn best by doing. Direct, hands-on learning
experiences spark new stories and ideas. From
critiquing a meal by a Michelin-starred chef to
interviewing world-renowned band members at
Pitchfork Music Festival, our students dive into
learning through direct, real-time experiences
that ignite new thinking and fresh imagination.
Experiential
All our programs are rooted in student empowerment.
We work hard to create a space where our students
feel their voice is valued and their story is important.
Our inquiry-driven methods, paired with our emphasis
on publishing, result in this sense of empowerment.
Empowering
The imagination inspires, engages, and encourages
creativity. From secret agent names to morse code
bookshelves, 826CHI fosters bravery and play. If a
student’s main character is a hotdog with a head
cold who oozes pickle relish snot, we run with that!
Imaginative & Playful
Inquiry-based learning is a practice adapted from
the Socratic method, in which questions are used
as a means to illuminate ideas. We believe students
are more likely to retain information when they
discover the answer or vision on their own.
Inquiry-based
Our programs are built around the belief that
our students’ voices matter and deserve to be
heard. When students write at 826CHI, they
are writing with authorship in mind. Through
a rigorous, transformational process, students
discover the power of their work when their words
are immortalized in a tangible product. This could
take the shape of a book, a dance performance,
a stop-motion video, a podcast episode, or a
public reading.
Project-based
Themagicof826CHIismostpalpableduringour
bookreleasecelebrations.Volunteers,staff,parents,
andcommunitymembersgathertohearthe
writingouryoungauthorshaveworkedsotirelessly
toproduce.Studentsexudeprideastheygain
confidenceaspublicspeakersandwriters.
PublishingandSharing
Collaborative
826CHI takes a team-based approach to the
creative process. Our chapbooks are comprised of
student-initiated stories, tutor-assisted revisions,
intern-led copyedits, group-chosen book titles,
volunteer designer-made illustrations and layout,
and a community-wide celebration. We teach,
write, and publish with the belief that all of us
have something to contribute.
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.
Our services are structured around the understanding that great
leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that
strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.
With this in mind, we provide after-school tutoring, creative
writing workshops, field trips, in-school support, help for English
language learners, and assistance with student publications.
All of our programs are challenging and enjoyable, and ultimately
strengthen each student’s power to express ideas effectively,
creatively, confidently, and in his or her individual voice.
To learn how you can get involved, visit www.826chi.org.
Empowering
ExperientialPlayful
Publishing
&Sharing
Project-based
Safe
CollaborativeInquiry-based
EmpoweringInquiry-based
Collaborative
Inquiry-based
EmpoweringPublishing
&Sharing
Empowering