The Greater Seattle Bureau of Fearless Ideas

The Greater Seattle Bureau of Fearless Ideas (formerly 826 Seattle) is a nonprofit center for writing and learning which offers after school tutoring services, workshops and other endeavors to help young people develop their writing and academic skills in a fun environment. I started sending my child here once a week last year because of my disappointment with the curriculum in the public school and also believe that it is important for children to learn from different sources. Since then she has been writing stories and keeping a journal at the center and has a lot of fun doing her homework and reading. The Bureau has become an important part of her experience of community and makes us all feel more connected. Donating to the Bureau has also enabled us to give back to our local community and see directly the positive effect.

Incredible! My 8 year old son attended a workshop here, in just a few hours at 826 Seattle, they lit such a spark of creative writing into my son, that my son has been writing every day since he went there.
They were able to get the gears in these kids heads working at top notch speed. They were there to teach, and to inspire, yet they gave the reigns to the kids, to let their imagination take over, and to be in control of their own stories.
Before the workshop/​field trip, I had to twist his arm to write, and to open his imagination up, and it was another story trying to get him to get his thoughts on paper. Like I said he now writes every day, instead of toys, he has been asking for new writing note pads from the store, and he even started a journal all on his own.
He was taught to take his imagination as far as he could, and then to take it even further.
This workshop made my son feel so smart, every kid had an important role, even the shy ones were getting involved, and putting input into the group stories.
There was laughter, and pure joy, while the children were learning.
There are many words that can express my gratitude, but the best two words are THANK YOU! I’m trilled that my son took home such a new love for writing and being creative. Again, THANK YOU…
The little shop was fun for creative minds to shop at too.

826 Seattle is simply awesome!
Started several years ago in San Francisco by talented author and McSweeny founder David Eggers and his wife, 826 Valencia had so many admirers back in my hometown. 826 is known for its youth-​focused creative writing and tutoring programing, so when I noticed they had opened up shop in Seattle, I was thrilled to check out their workshops for our little writer.
For the most part, the classes are geared to kids aged 6 – 18, We have a tough customer in our midst – thoughtful, independent, creative, and opinionated. Our little Mark Twain Jr. came from the 826 workshop beaming and excited about the creative writing project she is working on in class. That is always the best gauge as far as I am concerned!
The workshop space is a hidden but large, colorful classroom area behind their retail space. The teacher to student ratios in her class were generous to ensure all kids are getting great instruction and guidance. The teachers are young and energetic, the space was inviting, and the classes (I can’t believe this) for now are gratis. That’ free, people! For this reason, they seem to want to understandably touch the most students possible, so if your are enrolled in one class, they will only wait list you in another. Seems fair.
What a great mission: spreading creativity, excitement about writing, improving writing skills and doing the community a great service.
Anything purchased in their retail shop (think robots, space travel oriented items, and art books) supports the 826 organization and funds classes. A great spot for innovative programming for kids not geared to route memorization, competition and test taking. Here’s to thoughtful kids who think differently and enjoy creating and writing!

I only recently started volunteering at 826, but even from my rather limited experience I can tell you that everyone involved in this place is awesome. Plain and simple.
I think a big reason for this is that 826 is not your average tutoring center. If you come in expecting something like Kumon or Sylvan Learning Center, you will be sorely disappointed. 826 really encourages kids to be creative. To use their imagination. To be as crazy and weird as they want to be (within reason of course). Pretty much as soon as you walk in the door (a space travel supply store?), you’ll understand what I’m talking about.
So if you’re a parent, do your kid a favor and encourage them to come to FREE after-​school tutoring. If you’re a teacher, get in touch and bring your students over for a field trip. I promise you, they will have a blast writing and illustrating their own best-​selling books (just watch out for Mr. Geoduck!).
If you’re neither a parent nor a teacher, but think 826 sounds like a really strange/​wonderful place, volunteer! In addition to after-​school tutoring and field trips, 826 relies on volunteers to help run the store and assist with other events (like the college entrance essay marathons for high school seniors).
Even if you don’t have time to volunteer, come anyways. 826 frequently hosts events geared more towards adults (including workshops on how to write better).
Basically, this place is the jam. 5 stars is not enough.

826 Seattle is tucked away behind a deceptively small storefront for Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company. Once you enter 826 itself, you’ll stop and wonder if it’s like the TARDIS or Mary Poppins’ carpet bag! It’s a wonderfully spacious and bright space that invites kids to sit down and get some homework done. This branch of 826 National opened in October 2005 and serves Seattle Public School District and greater Seattle area school districts.
Its concept is a simple one: kids are welcome to come in for three hours after school. They may receive any sort of homework assistance in any subject from a trained 826 volunteer. The volunteer will help them and after the coursework is complete, the kids are encouraged to complete a half hour of reading with the tutor and also dedicate some time to writing.
During the year, the centre hosts benefits like a dance marathon or their Mustache-​a-​Thon. And they have a softball team «The Oscar Wildes»… and here’s where I need to be honest. I am a little biased. I know a half dozen 826’ers socially and every single one of them give tirelessly of their time to these kids that so desperately need it. And their satisfaction comes from the knowledge that the kids might get bitten by that bug… you know the one, the one that pushes us to learn more, be more, aspire for greater things!
Keep up the great work, 826. You guys rock!

They help kids learn to write better, and sell cool, geeky things to fund the tutoring. What more can you say? Well, other then they are part of the 826 program, which started with the coolest pirate store in the world, 826 Valencia, in San Francisco.

I will now write a haiku about 826:

They provide much help
And help you be creative
Typewriters are fun.

826 and the mustaches that adorn it make me mighty proud to call myself a teacher.
Dave Eggers (the writer/​literary giant behind McSweeney’s, The Believer, Wholphin/​public education advocate) founded the original chapter in San Francisco devoted to empowering urban youth through creative and expository writing.
826 chapters are sprouting up in major cities in the U.S. Each branch boasts an adjoining themed shop that raises money and awareness for the organization while peddling whimsy and imagination by the armful.
San Francisco Theme: Pirates
New York: Superheroes
Michigan: Monster Union
Chicago: The Boring Store (Spy Supplies)
L.A.: Time Travel
Seattle: Space Travel (see on Unilocal)
I got involved teaching workshops* here because in my view, this is education at its finest: engaging, creative, smart, supportive – bursting with absurdity and spark and boundless dreaming:
FREE!
*pure volunteer, purely un-​biased

We all need a little help sometimes with skills– writing skills, that is. Just read my reviews if you need any convincing of that. Be sure to note all the incorrect personal pronoun use and over use of adjectives. These are included for your learning. 826 Seattle is here to purposefully guide us away from these worrisome problems.
826 Seattle is one of six national 826 chapters. The mission is as follows:
«826 Seattle is a nonprofit writing and tutoring center dedicated to helping youth, ages six to 18, improve their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. Our services are structured around our belief that great leaps in learning can happen with one-​on-​one attention and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.»
So, how are Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company and 826 Seattle related? What is this? First, 826 Seattle is located adjacent to GSTSC, a store that claims «space travel is all we do». Perfect– because orbiting the globe in a one-​girl robotic rocket is all I do, too. Secondly, all proceeds from GSTSC go to benefit the writing centers at 826.
826 offers adult classes such as creative writing and skill development for a small fee, and offers free tutoring for children in areas such as writing skills, story development, etc. Volunteers lead may of these activities, and are essential to the operations of 826.