Celebrating You

Write together. Learn together.

Welcome to the 826 Digital community. Browse resources from educators like you who are passionate about writing education, discover inspiration from award-winning authors, and find how out how to get more involved.

Ready for more? Apply to join the 2026-27 Educator Leaders cohort! Applications close August 31, 2026. Learn more about the cohort and apply using the link below.

Community In Action

New Educator Tool!

In 2025, four 826 Digital Educator Leaders—Kathy Seipp, Bryan Wilson, Shavonde Chase, and Ashley Houston-King—developed and wrote a brand new Educator Tool called Teaching Writing With Mentor Texts. Many thanks to Kathy, Bryan, Shavonde, and Ashley for sharing their time and expertise!

Learning in Community

The 826 National and 826 Boston teams teamed up at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention to present a panel session on the 826 Writers' Room model: "A Room Where I Can Be Who I Am". We’re already planning our next workshop for 2025 NCTE in Denver and hope to see you there!

Coming Soon: 826 National's 2026 Student Anthology!

We're honored to team up with Tony Weaver, Jr., author of the middle grade graphic novel "Weirdo", to produce our 2026 student anthology. The book will feature student writing in the Science Fiction and Superhero Story genres, and is scheduled for release in June 2026!

Educator Voices

Educator Voices

In her blog post, “We are not OK.,” 826 MSP Board Member, and middle school educator Kathy Seipp in her blog post on 826national.org. Seipp advocates for teachers everywhere as they navigate multiple crises in our post-pandemic educational landscape, and she calls for a comprehensive, compassionate response from state and federal leaders.

Amplifying Student Voices with Dear Poet Project

Photo of student writing with title "Dear Poet 2024"

Amplifying Student Voices with Dear Poet Project

For the past two years, we've partnered with the Academy of American Poets community to amplify the impact of their annual Dear Poet project, which connects students with award-winning poets. See our Dear Poet Sparks on 826 Digital, Exploring Voice and Exploring Connections, which can be taught all year long!

2025 Student Publication: UNBOUND with Mychal Threets!

Coming June 2025: 826 National's Student Anthology with Mychal Threets!

2025 Student Publication: UNBOUND with Mychal Threets!

In fall 2024, we teamed up with librarian and literacy ambassador Mychal Threets to share a prompt on 826 Digital called "Write. Read. Feel. with Mychal Threets." The prompt invited students across the country to write as a way to explore and process their feelings. Hundreds of submissions from students K-12 poured in, resulting in UNBOUND: The Power and Potential of Young Writers' Emotions. Check out the stunning and powerful collection, and pick up your copy today!

Meet our Educator Leaders

Stefanie Wielkopolan

Stef Wielkopolan is an educator and writer from Pittsburgh, PA who holds an MFA in poetry. For over 15 years, she’s had the privilege of working with students, ages 2-82 in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Stef recently left the middle school classroom to pursue literacy work in the nonprofit sector. Stef now works for Reading Ready Pittsburgh, where she will help elementary students this year in Clairton, PA, find creative writing outlets for expression and growth. During her time off, you might find Stef writing, hanging with family and friends, reading, taking a hike with her husband, or singing ridiculous songs to family pets. She is excited to be a part of the 826 cohort for 2026-2027.

Stefanie Wielkopolan, Grades K-2, Pittsburgh, PA