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 drop-in tutoring, after-school workshops, in-schools tutoring, 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.
Our Location:
1331 North Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
ph: 773 772 8108
fax: 773 326 3513
Wednesday, February 3rd— Yesterday, students from our after school program released their latest publication: Meauh Shakes & Milk Sharks (published by Musical Banana Books a small and terrific branch of 826CHI books).
Stories included in this collection: E-Razor, An Unusual Duck and Hello Rhianna.
Buy your copy now at the Boring Store!
Wednesday, January 27th—A Wig If You Want It is our new blog devoted to student work that is updated weekly with stories, poems, or illustrations from our authors. Check it out now and learn about a milkshake with chunks of lava, Marvin’s fantastical account of eating too much sushi in Japan and The Grantula (half grandma/ half tarantua) which was created by Mrs. Reynolds CICS-Basil’s 3rd Grade class – and illustrated on the fly by the talented Lisa See Kim – during a fieldtrip this morning.
Tuesday, January 19th— Track those ‘staches RIGHT NOW!
MOUSTACHE-A-THON 2010 is a month-long, winter celebration of a spy’s best disguise: the moustache. Organic growers start with a clean shave and attempt to grow a most beautiful moustache. Those who don’t want/ can’t have a lip canopy, are encouraged to register as a prosthetic grower. Each week, the prosthetic growers are given a creative project to be completed by the next meeting. Both organic and prosthetic growers find friends and family to support and fund their growing endeavor and, simultaneously, 826CHI’s free programming for students.
Supporters, growers, gawkers can track the progress of these moustaches and donate to the cause RIGHT HERE or in person at weekly check-ins at Sheffield’s [3258 N. Sheffield Ave | Just off the Red Line Belmont Stop]!
The competition begins January 20th and ends February 25th!
For more info or to sign up, email the Moustache Man at info@826chi.org
Wednesday, January 13th— “Junior’s Cheese Carpets in Noodle World”, “The Nutty Adventure of Tutu Nutty-Nuts”, the “Underwater Adventures of Lizzy the Neanderthal Mermaid.” These books (written and published by 826CHI students during our field trips) are books that read look like books, that feel like books, that are books thanks in large part to our binding machine and its binding strips. Well, get this: for 2010 Powis and BindRite Dealers have generously donated the binding machine and the spine binding strips so we can continue to publish these fine fine books by thousands of Chicago students! Totally boundacious!
– 2009 –
Wednesday, December 23rd— Ho ho hi there!
Santa is not the only one watching you. Be prepared for the rest of winter and beyond. Shop at the Boring Store in person or online.
As always, the proceeds benefit our free writing programs for Chicago students!
Tuesday, December 1st— Which team will win the world’s greatest sporting competition, Scrabble for Cheaters, this Saturday?
Will TILERANNOSAURUS REX be king? Perhaps BANANAFISH will slip up the competition? Or maybe WORD VOMIT will come up with the win?
Monday, November 30th— Author Stephen Elliott will be talking about the generation of memoir, using his recent book, The Adderall Diaries, as a jumping off point for discussing the process of figuring out your story and editing it into something someone would want to read. The Adderall Diaries is Stephen Elliott’s first memoir but his seventh book, all of them written from personal experience.
The talk will also explore general ideas on writing memoir and some of the problems the memoir writer may encounter. In the talk we’ll discuss dealing with family members and friends who may not want to be written about and we’ll also go through some writing tips for accessing memories and experiences.
The event will take place at 826CHI on December 6th at 2pm. Admission is the price of the book and includes a copy.
Wednesday, November 4th— This summer a group of 826CHI high school students, under the guidance of National Geographic contract photographer Mike Hettwer infiltrated the city with cameras in order to document their “world.” Their pictures and accompanying texts make up the soon to be published book, MY WORLD II.
826CHI is proud to announce that we will have a gallery show featuring their work. Join us at Elegant Mister Gallery (1355 N Milwaukee) on Tuesday, November 10, from 5pm – 7:30pm. There you can meet the “photograuthors,” enjoy some punch, and take home a copy of the book or a print or two. This event is free and awesome.
EARN CPDU CREDIT November 6th AT 826CHI!
Tuesday, October 27th— On Friday, November 6th, 826CHI invites Chicago area teachers of grades 2 through 8 to join our staff and other Chicago educators to earn 2 CPDU credits at our upcoming session, Incorporating Poetry into the Everyday Curriculum.
This fun and informative session will take place at 826CHI (1331 N. Milwaukee Ave.) from 4:00-6:00p.m. Topics will include ways to bring poetry into everyday classroom lessons and activities, as well as several easily-incorporated creative writing projects and prompts.
To earn CPDU credit at this free event, please rvsp by Novermber 2, with your name, school, grade(s) taught, and subject to rsvp@826chi.org. We hope to see you there!
