The Telling Room

WE'RE COMMITTED TO CREATING SPACES WHERE ALL STUDENTS CAN IMPROVE THEIR WRITING SKILLS AND INCREASE THEIR CONFIDENCE IN A SUPPORTIVE, STRUCTURED WAY. WE PROVIDE 12 DIFFERENT SCHOOL-BASED AND AFTERSCHOOL WRITING PROGRAMS YEAR-ROUND AND STATEWIDE, OFFER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS, PUBLISH BESTSELLING ANTHOLOGIES OF STUDENT WORK, AND CARRY OUT COMMUNITY-WIDE WRITING PROJECTS AND EVENTS. WE DELIVER THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROGRAMMING WITHIN A 60 MILE RADIUS OF OUR HOME BASE IN PORTLAND, MAINE, INCLUDING THROUGH OUR SUITE OF EIGHT AFTERSCHOOL IN-STUDIO PROGRAMS, AND SERVE YOUTH WHO RESIDE IN MORE RURAL REGIONS OF THE STATE THROUGH FIVE PRIMARY CHANNELS: SCHOOL-BASED RESIDENCIES; SCHOOL-BASED WORKSHOPS; FIELD TRIPS; OUR STATEWIDE WRITING CONTEST; AND OUR VIRTUAL AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM. WE EXPAND THE AUDIENCE FOR OUR AUTHORS' WORK TO BE READ AND HEARD BY PEERS AND ADULTS ALIKE WHILE CONNECTING THEM TO EXPERIENCES THAT NOT ONLY BENEFIT THEM AS EMERGING VOICES, BUT ALSO ENRICH AND ENLARGE THE ENTIRE ARTS COMMUNITY. TELLING ROOM'S YOUTH VOICES ALSO REACH THEIR PEERS ACROSS MAINE THROUGH EDUCATORS USING OUR BOOKS AS MENTOR TEXTS IN THEIR WRITING AND LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM. OUR ANTHOLOGIES HAVE BEEN FINALISTS AND WINNERS OF THE MAINE LITERARY AWARD FOR BEST ANTHOLOGY SEVERAL TIMES OVER AND TELLING ROOM STUDENTS GARNER DISTINGUISHED AWARDS EVERY YEAR, INCLUDING TOP HONORS IN THE MAINE LITERARY AWARDS AND THE SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS. WE HEAR OFTEN FROM STUDENTS HOW VITAL AND AFFIRMING IT IS TO HAVE THE TELLING ROOM IN THEIR LIVES AS A PLACE THEY CAN FIND AND BUILD COMMUNITY, CONNECT WITH THEIR INNER SELVES AND WITH OTHERS, PROCESS THE WORLD AROUND THEM, PLAY, HAVE FUN, AND CREATE NEW WORLDS OF THEIR OWN THROUGH WRITING AND SHARING. IN 2024-25, WE DELIVERED 110 PROGRAMS TO 2,493 MAINE YOUTH IN GRADES 2-12, WORKING DIRECTLY WITH 1,774 STUDENTS AND REACHING ANOTHER 719 THROUGH EVENTS TO ACHIEVE OUR PROPOSED GOALS AND OUTCOMES. WE WORKED WITH OVER 60 NONPROFIT AND EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS, PUBLISHED 384 AUTHORS IN 14 NEW BOOKS, AND PRODUCED AND/OR PARTICIPATED IN 38 EVENTS STATEWIDE TO REACH A TOTAL OF 2,122 AUDIENCE MEMBERS TO CENTER AND ELEVATE THE POWER AND PROMISE OF YOUTH VOICES. STUDENTS MADE STRONG GAINS ACROSS MULTIPLE IMPACT AREAS AFTER PARTICIPATING IN TELLING ROOM PROGRAMS. SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 2004, WE'VE WORKED WITH OVER 35,000 YOUTH AND PUBLISHED OVER 225 BOOKS, COLLABORATING WITH APPROXIMATELY 100 SCHOOLS AND 40 ORGANIZATIONS EVERY YEAR TO PROVIDE OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ACROSS THE STATE AND BUILD ENDURING PARTNERSHIPS. OUR AIM IS TO ENGAGE AND ENCOURAGE YOUTH IN WAYS THAT ARE PROVEN TO EMPOWER AND EQUIP THEM TO REALIZE THEIR INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL AND POSITION THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES FOR SUCCESS. IMPACT REPORT: WWW.TELLINGROOM.ORG/IMPACT-REPORT