826NYC has the 411 on turning kids into super writers

Step through the storefront of the Superhero Supply Store, past the capes, cans of "anti-gravity," and jars of "immortality," and you'll find something far more powerful than any comic book gadget. Hidden behind a secret door is a writing center where New York City students discover their voices through writing.

"We want there to be a sense that anything's possible and that the students themselves are superheroes," said Rebecca Darugar, executive director of 826NYC. "Here you're part of a secret community of writers."

826NYC is a nonprofit with the mission to empower students to explore limitless possibilities through writing and to give young people the agency to write whatever they want. Whether it's poetry, fiction, memoir, or something entirely new, students are encouraged to explore writing as creativity, expression, and self-discovery in fun and engaging ways.

"Every year I get to meet a bunch of kids who may have never been creatively validated in any way..." said Amani Nephew, Senior Programs Coordinator. "You'll see when they start connecting with who they are, with what they're doing in here."

For more than 20 years, the nonprofit has published student's writing into tangible books, displayed and sold in the Superhero Supply Store.

At 826NYC, the next generation of superheroes is being written one book at a time.