Writing has the power to change lives. We believe every student has a right to access this power, undefined by circumstance.Together with educators, 826 Digital aims to reach students everywhere and equip them with the tools to write their own paths forward. In just a few short years, we've already seen the powerful impact of 826 Digital in classrooms across the country and around the world.
In addition to these educators who subscribe to 826 Digital, over 100,000 educators visit 826 Digital each year across every grade level, hailing from all fifty states across the United States and from over 150 countries around the world. 826 Digital content is also featured in curricula from our partners such as Common Sense Media, Newsela, and AT&T, reaching millions more parents, teachers, and students.
826 Digital brings the 826 approach to teaching writing to educators, students, and communities who need it most. Click on the pins to learn more about case studies where 826 Digital is making a difference.
The Institute of Education Sciences recommends at least 60 minutes of daily writing starting in first grade. Each year, 826 Digital lessons and resources are used by educators to facilitate an estimated
of writing instruction time
additional instruction hours per educator as reported by a user survey
826 Digital inspires students to engage authentically in the writing process. The result is often exceptional writing that takes skill, critical thinking, and creativity.
See for yourself. Read writing from students across the country who submitted their work in response to an 826 Digital lesson created by the acclaimed author, Jason Reynolds - This single lesson inspired thousands of students to write. Here are three different, yet equally powerful, brilliant, and joyful pieces showcasing effective use of differing genres and writing techniques.
We believe in amplifying student voices on any platform, and we believe the world should listen to what each and every student has to say. We have seen firsthand how students benefit from expressing themselves creatively—whether on paper, video, podcast, or even on a pizza box. And when students share their writing, it not only boosts their own confidence but also the confidence of other students who are inspired to do the same.
Find many more publications and hundreds of thousands more voices published by the 826 Network throughout the years at our 826 bookstore.
The first 826 chapter, 826 Valencia, was born in San Francisco. Since then, we’ve expanded to be nine chapters strong. In our place of origin, 826 Digital has a strong reach throughout the state with over 23,000 active users yearly. Of those visitors, over 2,000 are subscribers, reaching over 66,000 students. California has the largest student population of any state, with the largest percentage of children who speak another language other than English at home (44%). Additionally, 24% (again, the largest of any state) of students are classified as English language learners, making writing education all the more important in California.
In the United States’ largest urban area, New York City, 826 Digital reaches educators across all 5 boroughs. Of the thousands of annual visitors to 826 Digital, we reach an estimated 12,000 students in New York City. According to government reports, 72% of students in New York City come from low-income families. Additionally, amid school staff shortages particularly in urban areas, bus driver shortages impacting students’ ability to get to school, and educators facing difficulty finding resources that align with Common Core standards, 826 Digital remains easily accessible and free for educators. No matter the borough, 826 Digital is helping educators create spaces to prioritize writing education for those who need it most.
In Marshalltown, Iowa, a city of 28,000, 826 Digital reaches a significant portion of their public school educators and beyond. With a total of about 400 public school teachers, there are over 600 active users each year of 826 Digital. In this small midwest city where a meat packing facility connects a lot of immigrant families, there is a significant Hispanic or Latinx population (32%) along with English Language Learners among the student population. To address the needs of the local area, Marshalltown Community Schools provides a virtual learning academy for students in grades 7-12. 826 Digital supports the students and educators of Marshalltown by providing literacy and language resources that can be accessed virtually.
In Gaffney, South Carolina, where students do not have access to a local 826 chapter, 826 Digital Educator Leader, Marini Drobish, is stepping in to provide authentic, engaging writing opportunities with the support of 826 Digital. In this rural town, Black residents make up 42% of the total population. And, in a high school serving a majority of students from low income families, Marini is making a difference in an area that needs it most. As an 826 Digital Educator Leader, Marini is “constantly working to improve the writing instruction and opportunities for my students,” working deeply with her students on the writing process with the support of 826 Digital resources.
Leah Tribbett started volunteering at 826 Boston when she was studying to be a teacher at Northeastern University. Now, as a teacher in a charter school in Boston, Leah uses 826 Digital resources to support her writing instruction. Leah says, “Writing is often a class that kids don’t start the year excited about, but after a few rounds using 826’s resources, my students were excitedly asking what writing we’d get to do next, they were arguing over whose writing would get to be shared or workshopped in our class, and (the greatest compliment) they were never ready for class to end.” Almost all (93%)of the students at Leah’s school identify as Black or Latinx and they travel from diverse and underserved communities from across Boston.
