Congratulations, Spy! How does it feel?
It feels nice! I'm excited I get to be semi-famous around 826 for a month.
How did you first get involved at 826CHI?
I first got involved at 826 in January when I chose to do my service hours for class there.
What has been your favorite 826 experience so far?
My favorite experience so far had probably been working with the older students and being able to playfully joke around with them during our tutoring sessions. They're hilarious! My brother is 15 so they remind me a lot of him.
What do you do when you aren't working undercover?
When I'm not undercover, I go to school at DePaul so I can get all of my classes done for graduation on June 9th.
What are you studying at DePaul?
I'm getting a degree with a major in Health Sciences and I'm double minoring in food studies and community service.
Do you have any secret or hidden talents?
I can play the trumpet, so that's pretty neat I think
Our top agents always have the best codenames. What’s yours?
My codename on my name tag is "Daughter Dark." My specialty listed is trickery.
Any words of wisdom for aspiring spies of the month?
I suppose my words of wisdom would be to live fully in each moment the best you can, especially if you're around the kids, because the younger you are the slower, bigger, and more meaningful each moment is.
Our 826 Day event on the roof of Ace Hotel Chicago was a beautiful celebration of our community from our donors to our students and everyone in between (pictured above is 826CHI supporter TASHA’s performance). Our book P.S. You Sound Like Someone I Can Trust was available in the hotel’s suites, Ace Hotel Chicago has hosted our annual love-themed print show featuring work by local artists inspired by our students writing on love, and their Senior Sales Manager, Tenasha Wilcoxon, spoke to our students in After-School Tutoring & Writing’s Speakers & Snacks series about what it’s like to work at a hotel.
The partnership between East Village Youth Program and 826CHI is a yearly collaboration to help students achieve their goal of being accepted into their college of choice and for many to be the first in their family to attend college. This fall, 826CHI staff and 12 volunteers worked with 13 high school seniors on their personal statements for college applications. The partnership continues in the Spring when 826CHI and volunteers will return to EVYP to support students as they apply for scholarships.
