
Making learning engaging.
WriteBoston Annual Report 2021
All students deserve a high-quality education. That means learning opportunities that are engaging, accessible—enjoyable. At WriteBoston, we believe that writing is one critical piece of the education puzzle.
This year, we met immense challenges—not least of which was moving all of our programming online. But we also learned that we could maintain relationships and make an impact from afar.
Though we were 100% virtual, the heart of our work remained the same: cultivating deep learning through writing, and keeping students at the center of their own learning journeys.
In the last year, WriteBoston programming impacted...
520
students through afterschool & summer programming, college support, workshops, & classroom partnerships
161
educators through professional development, coaching, workshops, & consulting
5,088
estimated students through the ripple effects of programming
In 2021, we prioritized...
Making learning enjoyable.
Teens in Print
Each student experienced the pandemic differently. We knew we couldn’t address all of their concerns: the distance from peers, the abrupt shift to virtual learning, and the mental and physical health ramifications of a worldwide pandemic. But we did want to maintain a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space where students could connect and express themselves.
So, Teens in Print (TiP) needed to make some changes to our afterschool and summer program:
- We built community with a virtual platform. Read more.
Students appreciated the “safe and creative space” and “community feeling” they felt with TiP. They even used the new platform to chat with peers outside programming hours. Despite the new online venue, more students joined us after school than ever before.
- We continued promoting college and career readiness. Read more.
Through virtual workshops and individualized support, we helped students at partner organizations write compelling college essays. During our virtual summer program, we connected TiPsters with current college students and professionals from various backgrounds to discuss their future aspirations.
- We expanded the writing genres that students could choose from. Read more.
Our new modular offerings gave students more flexibility and the chance to reflect on their experiences and identities through both expressive and journalistic writing. Some of the new genres include photo essays, advocacy letters, diary entries, and perspective pieces.
- We visited Zoom classrooms. Read more.
Teens in Print partnered with teachers in virtual learning environments to bring writing and publication opportunities to more students. We led 17 media literacy workshops and 5 multi-week partnerships in schools across Boston.
- We launched the Writing through the Distance website. Read more.
The new website was built as an accessible hub for students’ perspectives during COVID-19. For the time being, the Writing through the Distance website has been rebranded as Teens in Print’s primary website. We’re currently working on a new site to serve as a permanent home for all student work going forward.

“I like that TiP gives me the freedom to write about whatever I want. With TiP, I can write about my passions, which makes it really fun and exciting.”
- Teens in Print writer, 10th grade
“I loved discovering a community of other teens who liked to read and write! Writing for fun isn’t something that’s really commended so to find other people my age that did was awesome and almost surreal.”
- Teens in Print writer, 10th grade
“Words just sometimes light a fire in you. And that’s something that I want to be able to spark to create a change…if that can mean through writing something that can boost empathy, that’s more than enough for me.”
- Deborah, Teens in Print writer, 11th grade
With Teens in Print, our students weighed in on virtual learning, unpacked the impacts of systemic racism, described newly discovered quarantine hobbies, and shared their personal wins and losses of the past year. They valued the freedom to write about their passions and the connections they made with peers and writing mentors. And the writing they produced this year was impressive: honest, funny, thought-provoking, and authentic to this new generation.
Last year's impact & highlights
481
articles published on hub.teensinprint.com
520
students engaged across all TiP programming
97%
of students learned skills that help them in school
Click the image to read more.

In 2021, we prioritized...
Making learning accessible.
Professional Development & Coaching
Virtual schooling made one thing abundantly clear: educators needed to learn new skills quickly to engage students online. The urgency was new, but continual learning is an everyday part of the teaching profession. Teachers—like lawyers, healthcare workers, technicians—constantly work to improve their practice.
Our coaching team needed to be flexible to help educators adapt. There were many issues beyond our control—unpredictable school schedules, disparities in students’ technology access, and ongoing uncertainty. But we could attend to concerns shared by many educators: planning during a time of uncertainty and change, and keeping students engaged in virtual and hybrid classrooms. So, our coaching team adapted:
- We sustained relationships with school partners. Read more.
We kept offering coaching support, professional development, and supportive mentorship to educators in virtual settings. Teachers faced a steep learning curve to transition to online learning, all while continuing to provide services to students. We were able to dedicate valuable time to researching online learning techniques and tools before distilling the most important ideas for our partners.
- We launched a free summer and school year workshop series. Read more.
The workshops were held over Zoom and offered as a free service to Boston and Gateway City educators. Teachers joined from across districts to discuss effective practices for virtual learning and share successes and challenges with peers.
- We partnered creatively to extend learning outside the classroom. Read more.
In collaboration with the Worcester Division of Youth Opportunities, we helped develop afterschool and summer programs for Worcester youth. This programming supported students’ social-emotional and academic needs during a challenging school year.
- We championed literacy by supporting the whole learning experience. Read more.
Our workshops and coaching this year were more explicit than ever in addressing how to foster relationships and spaces that support meaningful learning. Educators are building community in virtual classrooms, teaching with a social-emotional lens, and developing culturally sustaining learning environments. They recognize that student experience and choice should be the center and starting point for learning.
- We listened to educators and responded to their needs. Read more.
Our coaches made it a priority to anticipate our partners’ needs and respond quickly, whether it be practicing tech tools or discussing equitable grading practices.

“I truly gained a wealth of knowledge from these [sessions]. I enjoyed being able to collaborate with teachers from other districts about our different experiences this year and found it extremely helpful!”
- Educator, Gateway City school district
“Kelly [our WriteBoston coach] has made teaching more fun for me and my students, which has increased classroom engagement (even on Zoom). She has provided us, the vocational teachers, strategies that actually work in a vocational setting.”
- Vocational-Technical teacher, Boston Public Schools
“This [workshop] session gave me great ideas to think through from the position of a learner and a teacher...this is the first thing I've done all summer that has made me feel better, not worse, about the school year starting.”
- 10th grade English teacher, Boston Public Schools
Our partner educators appreciated the interactivity and responsiveness of our professional development, the encouragement and expertise shared by our coaches, and the space to connect with peers from across districts for mutual support and collaboration.
Last year's impact & highlights
161
educators served through professional development, coaching, workshops, & partnerships
31
schools & 13 districts throughout Massachusetts represented by partner teachers
93%
of educators left workshops or coaching with strategies to use in their practice
Click the image to read more.
Our finances
The following charts represent funds raised and used on operating activities during FY21. In addition, WriteBoston has restricted funds for use in FY22 and FY23 of $542,841 and Board designated reserves of $276K. WriteBoston received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in FY20 of $135,768 and was fully forgiven in FY21.
Revenue
Expenses
WriteBoston practices careful oversight and stewardship of our financial resources. While expenses are presented by function, each category is core to delivering on our mission. Program services include the staffing necessary to plan, run, and evaluate programming, as well as direct material costs ranging from subscriptions to online education tools to stipends for student writers. General and administrative expenses include accounting, audit costs, IT, insurance, and staff time associated with managing the organization effectively and efficiently. Fundraising includes event and campaign costs, as well as staff time, to maintain resources to operate and grow programming.
In FY21, the gifts of our community supported level staffing and responsive services in a period of deep uncertainty. Community investment enabled us to devote resources to hiring an external Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) consultant in FY21, and to invest in human resources support and staffing a hybrid Teens in Print program in FY22.
What's next?
Moving forward.
In our 2020 racial justice statement, WriteBoston committed to building a more equitable, anti-racist organization. This year, our staff and board completed a 9-month consultancy with Strategy Matters to create a short-term plan to better align our work with organizational values and goals. This plan includes:
- A programmatic revisioning process. With input from staff and stakeholders, we’ll discuss where our mission, vision, and programmatic work align with our values and where they fall short. We’ll pursue all needed changes to ensure that our work is reflective of our organizational values and goals.
- New goals for fundraising and communications. We’ll implement community-centric fundraising practices and create learning opportunities for supporters that illuminate the complexities of public education.
- More support for employees. With the guideposts of transparency and inclusivity, we’ll explore and implement equitable practices for performance reviews and compensation. We’ll create spaces to adequately address harm and share feedback.
We’re also going back to schools. Our coaches are continuing to provide professional development and coaching to educators this school year. We’re maintaining our partnerships in the Boston Public Schools and launching a new collaboration with the Framingham Public Schools.
Meanwhile, our Teens in Print team is pausing programming during the fall to evaluate the changes they’ve made in the last year. We’ll bring together the best parts of virtual and in-person programming, with the goal of launching a hybrid afterschool program in January 2022.
A lot remains uncertain about this coming year. No matter what, we’ll work alongside students and teachers—whatever the format—as they engage with learning in meaningful and holistic ways. In all the shifts we hope to make going forward, we commit to keeping students and educators at the center, and to keep listening, iterating, and improving.
We'd like to thank...
Our collaborators.
Click through the tabs to read more.
Districts Represented in Workshops
Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public High School
Boston Public Schools
Brockton Public Schools
Chelsea Public Schools
Everett Public Schools
Fall River Public Schools
Framingham Public Schools
Holyoke Public Schools
Lawrence Public Schools
Lowell Public Schools
New Bedford Public Schools
Revere Public Schools
Springfield Public Schools
Worcester Public Schools
Classroom and Community-Based Organization Partnerships
Big Sister Boston
Boston Arts Academy
Brooke Charter Schools (K-8)
Boston International High School & Newcomers Academy
Boston Latin Academy
Castle Square Tenants Organization
Were grateful for the many individuals and organizations who lent their time and expertise. Volunteers listed below include panelists who participated in our summer program, committee members, and Teens in Print editors. We’d also like to thank the many unlisted readers who participated in the Rising Voices Awards this year.
In-Kind Partners
Boston Business Journal
The Boston Globe
The CyberLaw Clinic
Volunteers
Jeff Allen
Kathy Allen
Paris Alston
Maren Anderson
Elebetel F. Assefa
Andrea Asuaje
Doug Banks
Sebastian Barreveld
Leigh Belanger
Arthur Bom Conselho
Nutan Chandra
Alison Connell
Katie DeBonville
Gabriella Diplan
Caitlin Dodge
Daylana Ervin-Parker
Maureen N. Franco
Seana Fuller
Marcela García
Yolanda Gonzalez
Andrea Goodman
Sean Tamarun Goudy
Sean Hagan
LaTasha Harris
Jarrett Hill
Cynthia Holcombe
Caroline Hon
Nicole Iannucci
Aju John
Marion Jones
Tomisi Kikama
Michael Lambert
Taylor M. LaSane
Lisa Lawler
Cindy Layton
Celeste Lee
Jenny Leopold
Lisa Leung-Tat
Masha Leyfer
York Lo
Kimberly Hensle Lowrance
Terry Marroquin
Cynthia Mohr
Manny Montes
Shalaya Morissette
May Moy
Bhanuja Nagore
Clinton Nguyen
Adetola Olatunji
Rich Pierre
Joni Lee Rossi
Betty Southwick
Lucy Stroock
Ronna Tarlow
David Taylor
Ruth Weinstein
Thank you
to our community of students, educators, partners, and supporters.