Tom Arata is a tutoring all-star! Such a bright and caring beacon in the after-school universe that we couldn’t believe he had not yet been named VOTM (or, as we thought more about it, VoTOM!). Tom has been tutoring with our program in Ypsilanti since mid-academic year 2018, when he…
The Person Who Eats Under the Bed Damien A. Age 6 My favorite food is jambalaya with chicken and I eat it under my brother’s bed! I eat it with a fork. I eat the whole bowl. It is good. I went to get all the bowls in the kitchen…
Our January 2019 Volunteer of the Month, Beverly Manko, first came to 826michigan to attend one of our Courageous Conversations dialogues. In these sessions we talk with volunteers about creating space in our programs to have conversations about identity with our students. Beverly is a docent at the University of…
Ode to Writing Written by the Community at the OMNIBUS X Release Celebration Words are daily dishes, breakfast lunch and dinner Make you feel like a winner Words smell like dusty books pages, the inside of a pencil sharpener, and nasty baloney Words are like popcorn Some of them have…
In December, Dr. Naimah Wade, 826michigan’s Executive Director, was interviewed by radio legend Paul W. Smith, whose voice is recognizable across the region because of his work on the airwaves of WJR. We hope that you’ll take the time to listen to this wonderful conversation. Running time is 6 minutes…
Happy December! We’ve made it to the end of another 2018! It is with gratefulness and joy that we appreciate Strategic Staffing Solutions in this end-of-year month for their contributions to support 826michigan’s programs in Detroit. This school year, Strategic Staffing Solutions awarded us grant funding for our Detroit Tutoring…
Hatt Merlino has been such a welcome part of the Detroit After-School Tutoring volunteer roster. Their calm demeanor has helped set such a good tone in our tutoring space in Detroit this year. They have a unique way of engaging students in a warm and attentive way, with a sensitivity…
Silverstone Maya S., Age 9 weE-Bots on Liberty St. Once upon a time in a cave filled with rubies lived a dragon named Silverstone. He always loved to shoot ice out of his eyes and burn them with his fire. He had a bossy older sister. Good thing she lived…
Sandy Karolak is a retired teacher that spends much of her time working with various schools around the city and their students, Sandy is one of the most caring people we’ve ever met. Last year, when it came to her attention that students who needed glasses in Ms. Lowe’s class…
It’s November, which means that we are in the midst of a big publishing season at 826michigan. Each fall, we honor the collective voices of our students by publishing their words and stories—fiction, nonfiction, poems, letters, and essays—in the 826michigan OMNIBUS. This year, we are especially excited to unveil…
