Overview

Reading and writing go together like superheroes and capes. Write After School students work alongside 826NYC staff and volunteers to build their reading, writing, and social-emotional skills, while unleashing their imaginations as they play and learn about the power of language. 

The two days per week — Book Club and Workshop — go together, and students experience the strongest learning outcomes by attending both! Students who enroll in both days for their grade band get priority when space is limited.  

Write After School: Book Club (Mondays): We explore everything ranging from graphic novels to poetry in book clubs, which are organized by grade and reading level. In small groups, we discuss plot and characters, build our vocabulary, and work on reading comprehension and reading fluency. 

Write After School: Workshop (Wednesdays): Students sharpen their grammar skills and learn about different genres and topics throughout the year. This year, workshop topics will include spooky stories, weird fiction, songwriting, advice and how-tos, and fantasy stories. Twice a year, student authors publish their work in a bilingual chapbook that they can share with friends and family.

Class Schedule

This program meets throughout the school year, and is cancelled on all days when New York City public schools are cancelled. Extended day is available! Students may arrive as early as 3:00 PM to read, work on homework, or finish 826NYC writing projects, and can stay until 6:00 PM to do the same.

Registration

Write After School is a free program for students in grades 2–8 whose families meet our income qualifications, in keeping with 826NYC’s commitment to make programs available for young writers who might not otherwise have access. Students whose family income does not qualify may apply separately for our weekend classes, Write Away Workshops or Dungeons & Dragons & Writers, for a low enrollment fee.

Our current income cap for enrollment is 80% of area median income, or about $124,000/year for a family of four.

Applications for winter and spring 2025 are open — fill out this form to apply for 826NYC’s Write After School program. Questions? Email programs@826nyc.org or call 718-499-9884.