Seed, Grow,Thrive

Sustainability Campaign

Support the future of youth writing and literacy in New Orleans

We’re reaching out to our community as Big Class, the only non-profit youth writing organization in New Orleans, begins a pivotal transition.

I n y o u r Pa c k e t

O u r M i s s i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

O u r V i s i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

O u r P r o g r a m s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8 2 6 N a t i o n a l C h a p t e r D e v e l o p m e n t . . . . . . . . . . . .

A s s e s s i n g N e e d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

S e e d , G r o w , T h r i v e P l a n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

S u p p o r t t h e c a m p a i g n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

C o m m u n i t y V o i c e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F o u n d e r s ’ C i r c l e C a r d & E n v e l o p e . . . . e n c l o s e d

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Big Class has been a grassroots organization since our founding in 2010, serving more than 1,500 students through the support of more than 200 volunteers. As of January 2015, Big Class is a 501(c)(3) non-profit preparing to build New Orleans’ Youth Writing Center, grow our staff accordingly, and become a chapter of 826 National. This crucial infrastructure growth will enable us to serve at least 3,500 students annually by the 2017-2018 school year.

We hope you will be inspired by our vision for New Orleans’ young writers and become a supporting member of our Founders’ Circle.

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Our Mssion Big Class cultivates and supports the voices of New Orleans’ writers ages 6-18 through creative collaborations with schools and communities.

Our Vision

A New Orleans where young writers thrive.

Big Class Projects are collaborations with public schools and teachers

around New Orleans, ranging from illustrated story

collections to high school newspapers.

OPEN STUDIO Open Studio provides

a safe third space (besides school and home) after school

to inspire learning, foster creativity, and help students understand and com-

plete their homework each day.

New Orleans youth engage in Big Class’s dynamic, innovative writing programs at The Big Class

Studio, in collaboration with other organizations, and in schools around

the city. Our programs are all project- based, volunteer supported, and driven by student voice.

PROJECTS

WORKSHOPS Big Class’s workshops are an invitation to explore the potential of the written word, all while fostering

creativity and strengthening academic skills.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS Big Class hosts field trips to our space, partners with other organizations for special programs, visits festivals

around the city, and creates opportunities for youth and audience engagement in public places around New Orleans.

WRITERS’ ROOM AT SYLVANIE WILLIAMS COLLEGE PREP ELEMENTARYThe Big Class Writers’ Room at Sylvanie Williams College Prep is a dedicated room for writers in 2nd to 5th grade to improve their communicative and expressive abilities through volunteer support and publishing.

O u r A p p r o a c h : Big Class offers a variety of free, innovative programs that provide under-resourced students, aged 6-18, with opportunities to explore their creativity and improve their writing skills. We also aim to help teachers get their classes excited about writing. Our services are structured with 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 run a writing studio on St. Claude Ave. in the 9th Ward that hosts free workshops and an after-school program, Open Studio. We also collaborate on special writing opportunities in the community and work with schools and teachers to enrich writing experiences through student publications and volunteer support.

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 Programs

Assessing needAccording to the Lindy Boggs Center for Community Literacy, 39% of New Orleans residents aged 16 or older possess literacy skills below the 5th grade level. Likewise, almost 40% of 4th graders in the city fail the state English Language Arts standardized test annually.

There is an urgent need for the programs of Big Class. With rigorous, authentic literacy experiences as foundational principals, Big Class programs are uniquely suited for the demands of 21st century learning. There are no other city-wide writing organizations for youth ages 6-18, no other organizations that work in schools while maintaining a committed “third space,” and no other organizations that mobilize volunteers in the service of writing. At our current capacity, we are turning down teacher requests for our in-school programs and family requests for our community-based after-school and summer programs.

our city is hungry for these opportunities to write, and eager to help young writers. Chapter Development with 8 2 6 NationalSince our founding, Big Class has been inspired by the 826 model of youth writing centers that has seen success with 32,000 students annually in seven other cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit/Ann Arbor, Chicago, New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C. In September 2014 Big Class was accepted into 826 National’s Chapter Development Process. This formalized a partnership that will allow Big Class to receive strategic support from an accomplished national literacy organization while developing as as an independent 501c3 responding to New Orleans’ unique local needs.

Our Programs

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2015 - 2016

Establish core staff, solidify programming,

create plan for Youth Writing Center, and serve at least 1,500 students

through our project-based, volunteer-supported programs.

2016- 2017 Open our 826-inspired Youth Writing Center,

serve at least 2,500 students, expand current programs, add new programs and

become a chapter of 826 National.

2017 - 2018

Complete robust assessment of our programs, open a

High School Writer’s Room, serve at least

3,500 students annually, and create growth plan for next 5 years.

Seed, Grow, ThriveB i g C l a s s ’ s t h r e e - y e a r p l a n i s a s t r at e g i c c o u r s e of action that will stabilize and bolster our capacity t o c u l t i vat e a n d s u p p o rt N e w O r l e a n s ’ y o u n g w r i t e rs .

To carry out our Seed, Grow, Thrive plan, Big Class’s goal is to raise $ 1 million by Summer 2016

A CHALLENGE GRANT FROM OUR FRIENDS AT 826:If we raise $100,000 by October 1st, 2015,

826 National has pledged to match us dollar for dollar, contributing an additional $100,000

to our Seed, Grow, Thrive Campaign. This will increase our total raised to $200,000

and set us up for a powerful “Seed” year.

To learn more Visit bigclass.org.

Questions? Contact Doug Keller, Executive Director of Big Class at

doug@bigclass.org or 504-298-3161

S u p p o rt t h e C a m p a i g nF i l l o u t t h e e n c l o s e d F o u n d e r s ’ C i r c l e c a r d

a n d s e n d i t o u r w a y w i t h t h e e n c l o s e d e n v e l o p e . Y o u c a n s u p p o r t o u r S e e d, G r o w , T h r i v e p l a n

t h r o u g h e i t h e r a t h r e e - y e a r p l e d g e o r a “ S e e d ” d o n a t i o n .

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3718 St. Claude Ave. New Orleans, LA 70117(504) 298- 3161 info@bigclass.org bigclass.org

“Everyone is special at

Big Class in their own way. No one

writes the same story as anyone else,

and no one talks the same, but at Big

Class everyone gets treated the same

way. That is why Big Class is my own

place.” - Christian, age 11.

Big Class Open Studio and

Workshop Student

“I bel ieve my daughter has become more comfortable in everyday situations because

she’s had an out let to express her creative mind. Big Class real ly chal lenges her.” - Martha, Big Class Workshop Parent

“Working with Big Class was one of the best experiences

of not only my teaching career, but my life. I am grateful beyond belief that

it happened. I want it to happen for as many kids as possible.”

- Kyley Pulphus, Big Class Project Teacher

“At Big Class, there is integrity and openness that is contagious, and this goes hand and hand with a real work ethic around the daunting challenge of writing well.” -Rebecca Snedeker, Big Class Workshop Leader and author of Unfathomable City:

A New Orleans Atlas