Big Class

since our founding in a 1st grade class of 43 students in 2010, 826 new orleans (formerly big class) has celebrated transformative impact on thousands of students’ lives. students, parents, and teachers overwhelmingly report improved writing skills and academic performance as a result of our programs. and we’ve seen countless students shift their attitudes about writing from reluctance and intimidation to affinity, confidence, and pride. whether students are enrolled in a two-hour workshop or a semester-long in-school project, all of our programs end in publication. a rigorous writing process leads to a wide range of high-quality work, from short stories about aliens in outer space celebrating mardi gras to personal narratives about overcoming struggle. when a student sees their ideas manifested in a physical publication, they learn that through hard work, determination, and opportunity they are able to turn their ideas into a reality. this not only improves literacy outcomes; it also