We’re excited to introduce you to our February Volunteer of the Month, Caitlin Clements! Caitlin is a dedicated member of our volunteer cohort who has most recently worked with High School of Fashion Industries students through 826NYC’s Personal Statement program.
826NYC: How did you first get involved with 826NYC and why did you decide to volunteer?
I’ve loved the work of 826 co-founder Dave Eggers since high school and recall him talking about the amazing 826 programs at a couple of his author events. I’d also paid prior visits to the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. and the Time Travel Mart in LA and found both to be immensely charming and cool. Two years ago, I started my master’s degree in Writing for Young People, and that was the spark to finally start volunteering. I love writing for kids and teens, but knew it would be equally inspiring to support them in their own creative pursuits—to see what kinds of stories excite them in their reading and writing.
826NYC: What’s your favorite part of 826NYC?
Without a doubt, getting to be among the earliest readers and champions of the incredible stories these students are creating! I never cease to be amazed by their inventive plotlines, their witty dialogue, their colorful characters, and their hearts etched on their sleeves by way of their pens and pencils. It’s an honor and a delight to experience their work and help provide support and advice as they continue to shape their pieces.
826NYC: What’s your favorite part of supporting school-based programming at 826NYC?
While the 826NYC center in Brooklyn is an amazing place to be, I live pretty far away from it. Thus, I’m so grateful for the chance to connect with students at schools closer to home, too, so that I can more easily fit those projects into my regular work day. The personal statement workshops have been incredibly exciting, supporting students in crafting the best possible version of themselves on the page to accompany their college applications. It’s a super stressful time for these high schoolers, and to help alleviate even a little bit of that stress through time spent reviewing their essays together is just the best feeling. I know my own undergrad experience was a truly formative one (shout out: College of William & Mary!) so if this process can help guide other students towards a match with the place they’re going to thrive during their college years, that’s a true joy to take part in.
826NYC: What do you do when you’re not at 826NYC?
I work in theatre producing and creative development—both on Broadway and in London’s West End! This season I’m part of the co-producing team for the revival of Sunset Boulevard that’s currently running and the play The Hills of California which concluded its limited engagement in December. I also just finished up my master’s degree in Writing for Young People, and am in the final steps of polishing up my Christmas-y YA Time Slip novel, The Nostalgia Train, in advance of our cohort’s official anthology launch this spring. I also love keeping up with my two awesome book club groups and hanging out with my trusty canine companion, Gatsby.
826NYC: What advice would you give a new volunteer?
Try a little bit of everything! And don’t count yourself out if there’s not a set time you’re available every week/month. That’s the beauty of what 826NYC can offer its volunteers: the chance to dip into lots of different projects, and the ability to work around all kinds of schedules. In my time as an 826NYC volunteer, I’ve gotten to work with the summer camp programs, the Teen Writers’ Collective, the remote copyeditors, the annual Trivia Night for Cheaters fundraiser, school-based programs, and even helped judge the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. You’ll undoubtedly meet the best people across the board—both the student writers and your fellow volunteers—and you’ll discover a lot about your own creative strengths, too.
826NYC: What are your superpowers?
I’m oddly good at selling random things on eBay. Maybe it’s all the time spent as a copywriter? I also have a knack for sniffing out the most weird and wonderful free things to do on any given weekend, a superpower enhanced by open-minded friends willing to come along for the ride. (Ask me about “Clown Church,” for example.)
Want to support our students this school year? Sign up for a volunteer orientation today!