Annual Report 2025
Honoring
our legacy.
Reimagining
our future.
Amplifying
our impact.
Our 2025 Annual Report
July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025
Each year, we are reminded of the extraordinary impact that words have on our students, educators, and community. This year, we became WordPowered—not just in name, but in practice. This new name reflects both our roots and our growing vision: to help young people and educators discover the agency that comes from language, literacy, and belonging.
It has been a year of milestones. Teens in Print (TiP) began with a simple but radical belief: marginalized youth voices matter. This year, as we celebrated TiP’s 20th anniversary, we reconnected with alumni, and among them are now Harvard Crimson reporters, community organizers, and educators themselves. Their stories remind us why this work matters. One alumna told us, “TiP wasn’t just about writing. It was about discovering that my voice matters.”
Our new name, WordPowered, reflects who we are becoming. We’ve stretched beyond writing alone and beyond the city whose name has long been part of our own. This transition required more than a logo change—it demanded we build infrastructure worthy of our evolution. WordPowered reflects our roots in literacy and our growing vision.
From coaching educators across Boston and the Gateway Cities, to having students published in the Bay State Banner during Black History Month, to supporting our peer organizations, our impact resonated deeply in classrooms and communities alike. We know our model works, and as we look toward our future, we will continue to build the capacity to serve everyone who’s ready to discover the power of their voice.
Over the past year, WordPowered has reached...
128
students through after-school & summer programming
175
educators through professional development & coaching in schools, community settings, and other partnerships
100%
of 29 of our senior TiPsters graduating high school. 27 of the 29 got into college, 1 opted for a gap year, and 1 had a job lined up. Reporters who were enrolled for at least two years had a 100% college acceptance rate.
Teens in Print is a writing program and publication that amplifies the marginalized voices of Boston youth. Through our comprehensive programming, we provide students with the tools to effectively share their experiences and perspectives, creating platforms for decision-makers to hear and act on their ideas.
Teens in Print continues to empower Boston youth through inclusive journalism and writing programs. This year marked two decades of amplifying marginalized voices, serving 128 TiPsters from over 20 schools across Boston Public Schools and beyond, while producing more than 130 articles that capture the authentic experiences of young Bostonians.
Key Achievements
128
TiPsters served, representing more than 20 schools (BPS and non-BPS)
130+
articles written by student journalists
2
Questbridge Fellows (our third consecutive year) include Shaniece Clarke of Bowdoin College and Brian Huang of University of Pennsylvania
100%
of 29 of our senior TiPsters graduated high school. 27 of the 29 got into college, 1 opted for a gap year, and 1 had a job lined up. Reporters who were enrolled for at least two years had a 100% college acceptance rate.
Survey Results
92%
of TiPsters agree that, “Being part of Teens in Print has helped build my confidence.”
93%
of TiPsters agree that, “My writing is improving as a result of this program.”
94%
of TiPsters agree that, “I have learned skills that help me in school” and “I feel more prepared for future jobs because of Teens in Print.”
96%
of TiPsters reported, “Writing stories for TiP makes me feel like I am positively contributing to my community.”
98%
of TiPsters shared, “I can use feedback (criticism and praise) to improve my writing.”
100%
of TiPsters shared, “I am more open to getting feedback on my writing.”
New & Expanded Partnerships
Bay State Banner: Students celebrated Black History Month with a project featuring 11 articles by 10 reporters published by the Bay State Banner.
Bottom Line: Eligible TiP students were automatically enrolled in Bottom Line’s services to promote college access among first-generation college students.
St. Stephen’s Youth Program: Our newsroom reporters, Nuri and Pietro coached SSYP teens with their podcast and writing via peer-to-peer mentorship.
Steppingstone Foundation: TiP staff member, Elvis Alvarado, led a 6-part workshop series, building the capacity of a new youth worker at SSYP.
Zumix: Newsroom students appeared on Zumix Radio to share their articles, stories, and process as writers.
Cross-Publication Initiatives:
Our student work appeared in multiple publications, including:
- Commonwealth Kitchen
- Ujima
- Compass
- Channel Kindness – Born This Way Foundation
- Bay State Banner
Notable Coverage & Events:
Our student journalists provided comprehensive coverage of significant Boston events:
- Mayor’s and Superintendent Skipper’s BPS Student Town Hall
- MCAS event with Boston Debate League and 826 Boston
- Celtics New Year’s Game
- Broadway’s “SIX”
Nancy Murphy Giving Fund
Established in memory of Nancy Murphy, The Nancy Murphy Giving Fund is proud to sponsor the TiP Road to College Scholarship.
Nancy spent much of her career as an editor. She was an advocate for effective communication, winning several awards as a mentor, speaker, and writer in her leadership role at Toastmasters International. She also served as a speech coach for the local TEDx organization, helping contestants refine their presentations. The participants and fellow volunteers she worked with appreciated her warm and encouraging approach to coaching and critiquing others.
With her values and interests in alignment with that of WordPowered, Nancy would be excited and pleased by the knowledge that her sponsorship would benefit the hardworking students of this amazing organization.
This year, WordPowered’s Teens in Print (TiP) launched the TiP Road to College Scholarship in partnership with the Nancy Murphy Giving Fund in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Teens in Print. This scholarship is designed to support TiP seniors who have been accepted into two- or four-year colleges by providing financial assistance to help navigate educational expenses. This scholarship ensures that TiP seniors can transition into college with fewer financial barriers, reinforcing TiP’s commitment to empowering young journalists beyond their time in the program.
Five scholarships of $2,500 each were awarded to:
TiP@20: Celebrating Two Decades
As we commemorate Teens in Print’s 20th anniversary, we have launched several initiatives:
Alumni Engagement:
Alumni Steering Committee established:
- 4 alumni interviews completed, featuring classes from 2004-2008, 2010s, and both pre- and post-pandemic TiPsters
- First peer-to-peer alumni interview published featuring Elizabeth Choi (Harvard Class of 2026, History Major, Harvard Crimson reporter)
Legacy Documentation:
Conducting interviews with founding and influential figures:
- Leah Bailey Moon (former Globe Foundation director)
- Marie Franklin (former Globe reporter)
- Betty Southwick
- Sarah Poulter
- Kelly Knopf-Goldner
- Carla Gualdron
“We don’t have enough spaces that hold multiple identities with the kind of care and intention TiP does. It’s not just about writing—it’s about belonging, about discovering that your voice matters. Boston is lucky to have programs like this, and I think the young people who come through them are better prepared for everything.”
– Sarah Poulter, former Executive Director at WordPowered
Summer Journalism Institute (SJI)
Road to College:
During the sixth week of SJI, eligible students were connected to college access resources. Students engage in an in-depth conversation with a college admissions officer, during which TiPsters worked extensively on their college essays. Students also attended tours of local colleges, prepared a list of the colleges they will apply to, and began their college essays.
Youth Leadership Development:
In addition to serving high school students, TiP hires a cohort of college students to support in the areas of multimedia, mentorship, and lesson planning. Youth leaders participated in a two-week onboarding program to prepare them for the Summer Journalism Institute. This year, our Youth Leaders were:
- Haley Balderson, Social/PR Mentor (Emerson College)
- Jordyn Olivia Britton, Writing Mentor (Howard University)
- Rachel Charles, Magazine Mentor (Emerson College)
- Nahisha Jackson, Writing Mentor (Emerson College)
- Kely Maloney, Video Mentor (Suffolk University)
- Gavin Miller, Podcast Mentor (Emerson College)
- Grace Zhu, Writing Mentor (Emerson College)
The Future of TiP
Beyond individual student success, Teens in Print serves as a crucial platform for youth voice in Boston civic life. Our students’ articles address critical issues affecting their communities, from street lighting and safety concerns to cultural celebrations and social justice topics. Through professional partnerships and cross-publication opportunities, TiPster voices reach decision-makers and community leaders throughout Greater Boston.
As we look toward our third decade, Teens in Print remains committed to our founding mission of amplifying marginalized youth voices while adapting to meet the evolving needs of Boston’s diverse student population. With strong partnerships, dedicated staff, engaged alumni, and most importantly, passionate student journalists, we’re positioned to continue empowering young people to tell their stories and shape their communities.
Knowing that in the next decade of TiP we face emerging technologies, shortened attention spans and new ways of engaging with media and the news. These challenges call for a collaborative effort with media professionals and new media creators who understand how to maintain the core of journalism whilst engaging young people to understand the media. At Teens in Print we believe that we prepare young people to create and engage with curiosity whilst maintaining the integrity of the journalistic code.
The authentic voices of our TiPsters continue to challenge perspectives, inform communities, and demonstrate the power of youth journalism in creating positive social change. As we build toward the future, we carry forward 20 years of impact while embracing new opportunities to expand our reach and deepen our influence.
WordPowered embeds coaches into schools or districts for 1-3 days per week through the duration of one or more school years. We offer instructional coaching, with coaches collaborating with teachers—both new and experienced—to implement student-centered and literacy-rich approaches that lead to more equitable student outcomes. We also offer coach-the-coach support and administrator coaching.
In addition to coaching, we provide professional development workshops tailored specifically for the particular context of a partner. Our PD supports educators across disciplines and content areas to understand and implement equitable, student-centered approaches.
Our Successes
175
educators reached through WordPowered’s Collaborative Coaching programs.
92%
of Coaching participants reported new ways of thinking and strategies because of their work with WordPowered.
89%
said they now have a better understanding of how to make their work more equitable.
94%
reported they received actionable strategies and helpful information that they plan to use in their curriculum and instruction.
Partnerships
Melvin H. King Academy
- Focus: Administrator support or observations/feedback systems and professional development facilitation
Lowell Public Schools:
- Focus: Equitable grading practices and policies; supporting school-wide policy change
Everett High School
- Focus: Professional development for ELA and ESL departments on reading strategies to support all learners
826 Boston
- Focus: Professional development for writing center staff on bridging reading and writing with multilingual learners and middle grades
The 2024-25 year positioned WordPowered’s Collaborative Coaching program for transformational growth while maintaining our core commitment to equity-focused, embedded coaching. Despite operational challenges, we demonstrated remarkable resilience and innovation, reaching 142 educators while building systems for even greater impact. The educators who participate in Collaborative Coaching represent not just individual transformation, but the seeds of systemic change in classrooms, schools, and districts across Massachusetts. Through continued focus on equity, collaboration, and evidence-based practice, WordPowered’s Collaborative Coaching program is positioned to amplify this impact in the years ahead.
Pros&Conversation 2025
“Gaining and improving writing skills while in high school is critical. I reported from my school paper, ‘The Maroon Echo’ at Bayer High School in Long Island, New York. I saw then that when we reported fairly, accurately and critically, people paid attention.”Amy Goodman, Host of Democracy Now!
These powerful words capture exactly why we gather each year for Pros&Conversation. This year, we honored 20 years of Teens in Print and the many young writers whose voices have flourished through our program. Pros&Conversation is a celebration of growth, storytelling, courage, and community. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for every person who made this milestone possible.
“Thanks for inviting me to participate in the celebration. I’m grateful that my kids had the opportunity to be [at Pros&Conversation] and I was beyond impressed by how the young people you work with are discovering, gathering, and amplifying their voices.”
— Omo Moses, Author of The White Peril
“What a wonderful evening at WBUR CitySpace with WordPowered, Teens in Print, and especially your amazing teen writers! I was moved by the thoughtfulness and poise of your teen representatives.”
— Ilyon Woo, Author of Master Slave Husband Wife
“Teens in Print wasn’t just about writing. It was about the people. I found a family—a group of chaotic, passionate, talented people who inspired me every day. And let me tell you, nothing bonds you with people faster than frantically trying to meet a deadline while eating way too many snacks.”
— Shaniece Clarke, Teens in Print Class of 2025
“Everything I am—every branch, every flower, every piece of fruit that makes up the tree of my being and the crown of my canopy—is thanks not solely to myself, but the programs I have been a part of. Teens in Print helped me recognize my voice further and supplied me with the tools needed to strengthen it.”
— Bendu David, Teens in Print alumnus
“[WordPowered] always comes from a place of support and collaboration… they redirect the focus back to the work. In so many ways, those three words—What is your purpose?—are centering, thought-provoking, inspirational, and even transcendental.”
— Amanda Chaloupka, Teacher, Boston International Newcomers Academy
“We ask [TiP students] to be seekers of stories—to go where adults can’t, and bring back the truths that live there. To voice their joys, their concerns, and their call to action. To see the world—and be amazed.”
— Mohamed Barrie, Director, Teens in Print
Thank you to our Event Committee
Sylvia Baedorf Kassis, The MRCT Center
Lori Britton, Community Resource Consulting
Bing Broderick, JustBook-ish
Lauren Cosulich, Summit Trail Advisors
Suzanne McGlone, Boston Public Schools
Eva Mitchell, Coalition for Career Development Center
Dr. Patricia Kelly, KW Consultants
Ronna Tarlow, Dunbar Language School
Org-Wide Developments
Compensation Philosophy
WordPowered has a robust Compensation Philosophy that requires a review of salaries and benefits every two years. In 2024-2025, WordPowered updated its compensation philosophy to better support our mission and ensure equitable pay practices. A subcommittee of employees partnered with Positively Partners to conduct a comprehensive salary benchmarking study and invested staff time in analyzing the essential roles needed to advance our equity work. This process resulted in a new compensation structure with defined cohort bands organized by core functions, ensuring fair and transparent pay. These improvements position us to strategically expand our team and capacity to meet the growing demand for our services and retain our team of industry experts.
Needs Assessment & Report from Center for Artistry & Scholarship
As a nearly 25-year-old organization, WordPowered has long served the youth and educators of Greater Boston by providing equitable and transformative literacy education; however, we don’t rest on the laurels of our longevity as proof of our good work. Since adopting a new mission in 2022, WordPowered has been working to better understand and measure the impact of its work.
In the spring of 2025, we partnered with the Center for Artistry and Scholarship to assess our evaluation systems and enhance staff capacity for data-driven decision-making. Their report presents a formative evaluation and strategic roadmap, needs-assessment findings, updated program and organizational Theories of Action, and a metrics framework that positions us for equity-centered growth, coherence, and accountability. We will be applying these recommendations throughout 2025/2026, including (1) forming an Implementation Steering Team; (2) introducing integrated metrics across our multigenerational programs; and (3) developing a central, publicly available dashboard to host all data. In tracking voice, belonging, and agency, WordPowered is modeling how nonprofit organizations can embed reflection, meaning-making, and accountability into the heart of their programming.
Our Finances
Expenses
Revenue
Acknowledgements
WordPowered is grateful to its donors, partners, staff, and volunteers who have supported our work over the past year. Together, we have empowered hundreds of youth and educators, creating meaningful change in the communities we serve.
Thank you for your continued support.
For more information about our work or to support our mission, read more here.
Thank You To Our Supporting Foundations
-
- Anonymous foundation
- Argus*
- Paul & Edith Babson Foundation
- Beacon Press*
- Beacon Research*
- BlueHub Capital*
- Boston After School & Beyond (BASB)
- Boston Business Journal*
- Boston Children’s Hospital*
- Boston University*
- The Boston Globe*
- Bottom Line
- Brookline Savings Bank
- Bushrod H. Campbell and Adah F. Hall Charity Fund
- The Calderwood Foundation
- The Castle Group*
- Castle Square Tenants Organization 2020 Charitable Trust
- City of Boston – Black Male Advancement
- The Cummings Foundation
- DCU for Kids
- Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation*
- eCratchit, Inc.*
- Frugal Bookstore*
-
- Hamilton Company Charitable Foundation
- Health Resources in Action
- Hick’s Auto Body, Inc.*
- Liberty Mutual Foundation
- M&T Charitable Foundation
- Mass General Brigham*
- MathTalk*
- Munroe Murrow Wealth Management*
- National Grid Foundation
- Nellie Mae Education Foundation
- Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation
- Red Sox Foundation*
- Rockland Trust Bank*
- Schrafft Charitable Trust
- Simon & Schuster*
- Spark Foundation
- SRT Realty, LLC*
- Stull & Lee, Inc.*
- Philanthropy MA – Summer Fund
- The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI) – Cradles to Career
- Titus Foundation, Inc.*
- TJX Foundation
- Wellington Management Foundation
- Young Authors Foundation
*Pros&Conversation sponsor
Thank You To Our Supporting Donors
-
- Anonymous
- David Adamczyk
- Rachel Adler
- Michael Ansara
- Angela Ards
- Caren Arnstein & Kelvin Cross*
- Amy Atwood
- Sivan Azoulay
- Sylvia Baedorf Kassis
- Beth Balliro
- Doug Banks
- Dara Bayer
- Charlene Beckett
- Ian Beckford
- Leigh Belanger
- Erik Berg
- Harvey Berliner
- John and Jane Bihldorff
- Maria Laura Blefari
- Nancy Blumberg
- David Bor
- David Bove
- John Bowden
- Ari Branz
- Barney Brawer
- Anna Bulkovshteyn
- Dan and Holly Burnes
- Beverly Byron
- Geralyn Bywater
- Antonio Caban
- Siri Carr
- James Carroll
- Christy Cashman
- Daniel Cohen
- Jared and Lauren Cosulich
- Bob Crabtree
- Stephen Crosby
- John Cupples
- Charan Devereaux
- Thomas Dingman
- Caitlin Dodge
- Joseph Douilette
- Beth Dunne
- Steven Eppler-Epstein
-
- Alissa Farber
- Steven Feinstein
- Daniela Field
- Lucia Field
- Carmen Fields
- David and Karen Firestone
- Matthew Fishman
- Megan Flynn
- Amy Fredericks
- Ethel Furst
- Emily Gaberman
- Dorothy Gonson
- Sandra Goodman
- Maricel Goris
- Mary Harvey
- Randy Haynes
- Susan and Sean Helms Daley
- Anna Henderson
- Bob Hesslein
- Jean Hey
- Albert Holland
- Sam and Briana Howe
- Karen James-Sykes
- Dolores Johnson
- Tracy Joseph
- Marjan Kamali
- Robin Kassis
- Dr. Patricia Kelly*
- Amika Kemmler-Ernst
- Hannah Kilson
- Peter Kilson
- Gerald Kimber White
- Kelly Knopf-Goldner
- Cynthia Layton
- Celeste and David Lee
- Bea Leopold
- Diane Leopold
- Jenny and Jay Leopold*
- Barbara Lipps
- Karen L. List
- Glynn Lloyd*
- Doris Lowy-Zigman
- Brinton Lykes
- Deborah Maniace
-
- Errol Martin
- Nicholas Martin & Lyndsey Moran*
- Martha Matlaw
- Catherine Matthews
- Peter McCaffery
- Frances McCarthy
- Wanda McClain
- Jo McConaghy
- Michael and Elisabeth McCord
- Michael McCormack
- Jodie McMenamin
- Sharon McNally
- Robert and Judith Melzer
- Ann Merrifield
- Cynthia Mohr
- Lynda Moran
- James Mortom
- Omowale Moses
- Frannie Moyer*
- Jeffrey Musman
- Emily Nagle Green
- Aketa Narang Kapur
- Linda Nathan
- Charlene Neu
- Jose Nieto
- Gaby and Gerrel Olivier
- Phillip Page
- Jeanne Pagnozzi
- Armando Perez
- Joseph Perkell
- Edith Platt
- Sarah Poulter
- Thomas Powderly
- Marcy Prager
- Bernard Pucker
- Labonno Ranga
- Susan and Chris Richmond
- Ned and Katie Rimer
- Peter and Lucy Robbins
- Magaly Ronan
- Karen Sanchez-Eppler
- Mark Schafer
- Sam Seidel
- Marc Seiden
-
- Anne Shackleford
- Emily Shamieh
- Dinah Shepherd
- Stacia Sheputa
- Fredi Shonkoff
- Cindy Shulak-Rome
- Lori Smith-Britton*
- Tom Snow
- Ramon Soto
- Betty Southwick*
- Sonja Spears
- Patricia Spence
- Deborah Spencer
- Elizabeth Steinhauser
- Matt Stover
- Anna Suranyi
- Frederick and Mary Sykes
- Ronna and Dan Tarlow*
- Sandro Tavares
- Ben and Kate Taylor
- David Taylor
- Eliza Taylor
- Guy Telemaque
- Robert Thomas
- Jim & Amy Tierney*
- Martha Tierney
- Marcia and Tyler Tingley
- Charlie Titus
- James Tulsky
- Mariah Villarreal
- R. Edward Waterman
- Alicia Wedderburn
- Ruth and Bill Weinstein*
- Richard Weissbourd
- Patty Wen
- Anne Wheelock
- Benaree Wiley
- Esther Williams
- Joan Wood
- Kalise Wornum
- Judy and Paul Zaff
- Christine Zinke
- Scott Zobak
- Claudius Zorokong
*Pros&Conversation sponsor
Thank you for your support!
Past Partners
Our partners have transformed their approach to student literacy and writing. Since 2002, we have partnered with approximately 50 schools, districts, and nonprofit organizations. To learn more about becoming a partner, please submit an inquiry through our contact form.
Madison Park Technical Vocational High School
Partnership: 2016 – 2022
“How do we prepare students to meet the complex, industry-specific writing and reading demands of technical and vocational professions?“
Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, a Boston Public turn-around school, provides training in 20 technical vocational programs.
Whether career or college bound, students need to be confident readers and writers: able to read dense technical manuals as an auto-mechanic or electrician, or document patient outcomes as a medical assistant. A WordPowered instructional coach supports teachers as they build the literacy skills students need to succeed in their chosen fields.
Coaching has impacted early career and veteran teachers alike. A veteran teacher commented, “As an experienced educator, I really thought I didn’t need any assistance. Kelly has taught me different strategies on lesson plans, differentiated instruction, and assessments. [Coaching] allowed me to increase student achievement and instructional dialogue.”
Chelsea Public Schools
Partnership: 2015 – 2020
“How do we build capacity to support all of our students in grappling with complex reading and writing? What does this look like at every level of a school district: for teachers, coaches, and administrators?”
After six months with a WordPowered coach supporting teachers at Wright Academy, the Chelsea Public Schools decided to think bigger. Why not transform literacy instruction across Chelsea’s three middle schools, so that every student has access to aligned and strong instruction?
District leaders knew it couldn’t happen overnight. More than that, transformation would require understanding and buy-in at every level. But together, the Chelsea Public Schools and WordPowered designed a three-year plan to support students, teachers, coaches, administrators, and district leaders.
Initial feedback has been excellent. As one district coach wrote: “When I heard we had another trainer this year, I was less than thrilled. However, this is one training (and trainer) I actually learned from and walked away with immediate action steps, plans, ideas and resources to test out literally the next day.”
City Year Boston
Partnership: 2015 – 2019
“What literacy tools, strategies, and knowledge do City Year corps members need to support school communities and impact the students they serve?”
Nearly 200 City Year corps members work in 20+ Boston Public schools — reaching over 1,000 students each year. Corps members, young and passionate, often have little prior experience in urban education. To help them navigate their complex work in schools, City Year provides ongoing training to every corps member. When literacy was identified as a central area of need, City Year Boston called WriteBoston’s former Director of Programming and Training, Jessie Gerson.
Together, WordPowered and City Year developed a series of workshops based on core literacy practices and feedback from Corps members. And support didn’t end with workshops. To help corps members as they tested out strategies in their own schools, WordPowered conducted classroom observations, hosted office hours for corps members, and provided thought partnering with City Year leadership.
Feedback from Corps Members has been glowing. Over nine training sessions, more than 99% of the 130+ volunteer respondents rated the trainings as “good” or “excellent” — the top two ratings on a five-point scale.
Five District Partnership
Partnership: 2015 – 2018
“What does good “grade-level” writing look like? How do we assess it, and how does that assessment guide instruction? How do we scale and align great instruction happening in one classroom to multiple classrooms, schools, and districts?”
The Five District Partnership (5DP) is an innovative joint education effort among the districts of Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Revere, and Winthrop to improve instruction and academic achievement. Born after research showed a high rate of mobility among students within the five districts, the collaborative has already made incredible progress.
WordPowered’s relationship with the 5DP started small–with a series of summer workshops for teachers–but quickly expanded. To meet areas of critical need in literacy, WordPowered and the 5DP launched a two-year project to design, pilot, and bring to scale argument-based writing assessments in middle schools across all five districts.
Funded by the Cummings Foundation, this project impacted an estimated 10,000 students. The work was spearheaded by a WordPowered facilitator and a working group of coaches and teacher leaders from across five districts, who have continued to shepherd this work after the partnership officially ended.
Cove Davis, the 5DP’s Executive Administrator for Curriculum and Development, said: “WriteBoston [now WordPowered] has been one of our key professional development partners. Facilitators from WriteBoston are dynamic, experienced, and responsive to the needs of teachers.”
Boston Community Leadership Academy
Partnership: 2002 – 2015
At Boston Community Leadership Academy (BCLA), teachers and administrators alike credit WordPowered with helping to transform the school’s approach to professional development.
Kelly Knopf-Goldner, a former WriteBoston coach, worked on-site with teachers two days a week. BCLA educators say that Kelly has brought coherence and focus to teachers’ professional growth and classroom instruction.
Headmaster Brett Dickens said, “Before WriteBoston [now WordPowered], I always found professional development to be discouraging for teachers – too many presenters with no credibility and no follow-up. Now, with Kelly, the professional development is institutionalized, planned, teacher-driven, and sustained.”
Greater Lawrence Technical School
Partnership: 2011 – 2014
Teachers at Greater Lawrence Technical School admit that they were somewhat skeptical at first about working with a WordPowered coach. Many of them recalled frustrating past experiences with “expert consultants,” whose support was not tailored to their needs and rarely resulted in meaningful change to their practice. When Rebecca Steinitz began working with the faculty in the fall of 2011, she knew she had to deliver professional development that was relevant, customized, and actionable.
Two years later, teachers and administrators alike reported that their work with WordPowered had a profound impact on teaching practice and on the overall culture of the school. Student writing grew dramatically in volume and quality. Teachers now hold students to high expectations for literacy, writing, and critical thinking, not only in English classes but in other academic subjects and in vocational classes as well.
Annual Report 2024
Our 2024 Annual Report
July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024
In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, WriteBoston (now WordPowered) made significant strides in our mission to empower youth through literacy. We enhanced our programs for both educators and students, expanding our impact through efforts focused on literacy practices, community building, and supporting marginalized youth. We coached over 60 educators reaching 1,390 students, and engaged 134 youth in its Teens in Print (TiP) program.
Key developments included launching the TiP Newsroom, which offered real-world journalism experiences, and strengthening our focus on equity in coaching by addressing bias among school leaders and teachers. We introduced a continuous learning methodology to better measure our impact. We also adopted an equitable compensation philosophy to recruit and retain a diverse staff.
Looking ahead, WordPowered is positioned for sustainable growth, emphasizing expanding community partnerships and professional development offerings. Our purpose remains clear: to empower youth through literacy, foster transformative learning, and advocate for social justice by supporting educators, students, and schools in driving educational equity. WordPowered continues to reshape literacy, so that all youth think critically and use their voices to create change.
WordPowered aims to foster inclusive, engaging learning experiences. In the last year, our work impacted…
134
students through after-school & summer programming
60
educators through professional development & coaching in schools & community settings
1,390
estimated students through the ripple effects of programming
Teens in Print
Teens in Print (or TiP) is a writing and journalism program, focused on youth community building, social-emotional learning, and identity development. We engaged a total of 78 youth from Greater Boston over four program cycles, culminating in multiple publications and multimedia projects. We engaged an additional 56 students through partnerships, reaching a total of 134 students last year.
Considered a flagship program in Boston After School and Beyond’s portfolio of summer youth experiences, our Summer Journalism Institute continues to center youth empowerment, literacy, and community engagement. The program took place at Babson College, where teens participated in an immersive, six-week experience. Through writing and multimedia projects, students explored topics related to the history of Boston, their identities, and current events. The program included an “Inspiration Breakfast” to foster connections between current students and alumni. This event marked the beginning of a robust alumni engagement initiative.
134
students participated in TiP programming and partnership, with 12 experienced TiPsters publishing local stories from the TiP Newsroom.
72
articles published, with 400 magazines distributed to local schools and organizations in addition to online publication
84%
of students reported: "Being part of TiP has helped build my confidence" and "Writing stories for TiP makes me feel like I am positively contributing to my community.
100%
college matriculation for TiP seniors, with 13 students attending institutions like UMass Boston, Brown, and Bryn Mawr College. All our graduates are first-generation college students.
Check out the digital issues of Teens in Print magazine!
Additional Accomplishments
- Cross-publication partnerships expanded TiP’s reach, with articles featured on platforms such as Lady Gaga’s Channel Kindness and Boston Compass.
- TiP Ambassadors (TiPsters and WordPowered staff) continued to recruit students and staff to promote the program, fostering greater participation and community support.
We are making great strides toward raising TiP’s visibility and ensuring that teens’ voices are heard and valued throughout Boston.
Collaborative Coaching
WordPowered’s Coaching Team facilitates programming across schools.
Our Collaborative Coaching team made significant progress this year in advancing educator practice and fostering continuous learning.
WordPowered provided tailored professional development and year-long coaching support to approximately 60 educators. This support was aimed at transforming literacy practices, with a focus on educational equity. Our coaches delivered in-person assistance after two years of hybrid engagement, working in collaboration with school leadership to implement site-specific work plans. In the 2023-24 school year, WordPowered provided embedded coaching and PD in the following locations:
Additional Accomplishments
- Boston International High School and Newcomers Academy (BINcA): Supported 500 students through weekly coaching, focusing on English Language Learners.
- Madison Park Technical Vocational High School: Impacted 400 students through coach-the-coach models and teacher collaboration.
- Mel H. King Academies: Supported 134 students with high-support-needs behavioral and emotional disabilities.
- Cyrus Peirce Middle School (Nantucket): Provided intermittent professional development workshops for teachers to improve writing instruction for over 350 students.
Program Highlights + Impact
60
educators received tailored professional development and year-long coaching support
96%
of educators report that WordPowered workshops offered varied approaches that enabled them to actively engage with the content and concepts
5
partner schools received support, reaching approximately 1,390 students across multiple districts
87%
of educators report that WordPowered’s professional development was more effective than that of other PD providers
In the 2023-2024 school year, the Coaching/PD Team worked to improve their ability to recognize and redress even the subtlest biases, inequities, and oppressive ideologies by examining their root causes and how they show up in practices, policies, and systems. The team collectively identified and brainstormed common inequitable beliefs and statements heard and seen in schools; then they collaboratively worked to identify the underlying belief for each statement and brainstorm ways to address them. Recordings and transcripts of coaching conversations helped to identify, build on, and practice key coaching moments and moves that helped their coachees shift their beliefs.
OrganizationalTransitions & Growth
Building Staffing Capacity
In FY24, we welcomed five new staff members. These new hires played a crucial role in supporting our expanding programming needs and advancing our organizational goals. Here are the important steps we undertook:
- We redesigned the instructional coaching team to consist of three part-time instructional coaches, led by a full-time Director of Professional Learning & Partnerships.
- Our Development and Communications Coordinator was promoted to Director of Marketing & Communication.
- We established WordPowered’s Advancement team to focus on development and donor stewardship.
- A Youth Program Facilitator joined the team in June to support the TiP Newsroom.
Additionally, we focused on:
- Maximizing TiP Team Impact: We reduced administrative and operational duties for the TiP team, allowing them to dedicate more time to working directly with students.
- Strengthening the Advancement Team: We invested in building a stronger team focused on marketing, communications, development, and operations to better steward long-term donors, enhance nonprofit partnerships, and expand our fundraising efforts.
Performance Management & Continuous Learning
We made strides toward:
- SMARTIE Goals: We aligned individual, team, and organizational goals with our commitment to equity and transparency, ensuring meaningful contributions to our mission from every team member.
- Performance Management Process: We reviewed our internal communication flow and created new tools to support effective onboarding, inclusive meetings, and shared learning experiences. In establishing our Performance Management Process, we are able to promote our norm of flexible and ambitious expectations.
Special thanks to Positively Partners for inspiring the foundation for WordPowered’s compensation philosophy.
The following efforts laid the foundation for using data to narrate our impact, increase transparency, and refine our practices for greater effectiveness in the future:
- Teacher Logs for Data Collection: Our Coaching team developed logs to collect valuable data on educator practices, moving beyond reliance on teacher surveys, which can be difficult to consistently obtain.
- Student Tracking: The TiP team used a project management system to track students, streamlining student data collection, supporting our impact reporting, and aiding the publication processes for TiP.
- Knowledge Management: The Advancement team piloted task management systems and began collecting staff feedback to streamline our organizational processes.
Our Finances
The charts below share funds raised and used on operating activities during FY24. In addition, WordPowered has restricted funds for use in FY24 and FY25 of $522K and Board-designated reserves of $400K.
Expenses
Revenue
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 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 events, campaigns, and staff costs to maintain the resources to operate and grow our programs.
A Major Thank You to Our Supporting Foundations!
- Anonymous Foundation (2)
- Argus*
- Beacon Research*
- Beacon Services, Inc.*
- BlueHub Capital*
- BNY Mellon
- Boston After School Program & Beyond (BASB)
- Boston University*
- BPS Summer Fund
- Brookline Savings Bank
- Bushrod H. Campbell and Adah F. Hall Charity Fund
- Calderwood Charitable Foundation
- Cambridge Community Foundation
- The Castle Group*
- City of Boston Youth Development Fund
- Cummings Foundation
- DOT Joyce Consulting LLC*
- The Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation*
- Liberty Mutual Foundation
- Liberty Mutual Climate Resiliency Fund
- Munroe Morrow Wealth Management*
- National Grid Foundation
- The NBT II Foundation
- Nicole Russo Communications*
- Nutter, McClennen & Fish, LLP*
- Paul and Edith Babson Foundation
- Encore Boston Harbor*
- Frank W. and Carl S. Adams Memorial Fund
- The Greg Monroe Foundation
- The Philanthropic Initiative
- Sanofi*
- Schrafft Charitable Trust
- Stull & Lee, Inc.*
- Teak Media*
- Titus Foundation Inc
- TJX Foundation*
- Wellington Foundation
- The Young Authors Foundation
- Youth Development Fund
*Pros&Conversation sponsor
Acknowledgments
WordPowered is grateful to its donors, partners, staff, and volunteers who have supported our work over the past year. Together, we have empowered hundreds of youth and educators, creating meaningful change in the communities we serve.
For more information about our work or to support our mission, read more here.
Thank you for your continued support!
Collaborative Coaching
Professional learning for equity.
As an experienced professional learning team, we know that every school, district, or organization has its own diverse community and specific set of needs. Instead of a one size fits all approach, we work with our partners to design a professional learning plan that meets them where they’re at. Our work is grounded in clear, actionable goals and outcomes for all learners—youth and adults.
While schools and youth-serving organizations continue to deal with the impacts of the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to have targeted professional learning that is grounded in equity and inclusion.
Want to learn more about what our expert team can do for you?
We work with schools, districts, and organizations across Massachusetts and beyond.
How we can support you
A partnership with WordPowered can look a few different ways. For the most impact, we embed a coach into a school or district for 1-3 days per week through the duration of one or more school years. For shorter-term projects, we consider your available time and resources and offer customized workshops with or without implementation support.
Professional learning support can include:
A coach collaborates with educators—both new and experienced—to teach their content through targeted literacy strategies (writing, of course, but listening, speaking, and reading as well). These methods promote students’ critical thinking and meaning making. Coaches provide resources and support to keep teachers learning and improving their practice. What coaching looks like can vary:
- A coach meets one-on-one with teachers during planning periods to help develop units and lessons, create assessments, and devise effective teaching strategies. The coach then follows up in the classroom with co-teaching or observation.
- A coach meets weekly with a department or teacher teams to provide workshops, reflect on student work, and develop and align school-wide language and practices.
- A coach facilitates school-wide professional development on a particular aspect of literacy across the curriculum.
Read about a successful coaching partnership at Boston Community Leadership Academy.
Schools and districts that employ embedded coaches know that coaching can be demanding—and often isolating. With an expert staff of instructional leaders who possess extensive coaching experience, WordPowered is able to support school-based coaches in their daily work of translating literacy best practices into actionable supports and strategies that can be shared with classroom teachers.
Tasked with wearing multiple hats, coaching requires a body of content knowledge around instruction broadly, and literacy specifically. At the same time, effective coaches also know how to work with adults to advance their learning. That can be a tall order, even for the most skilled educators.
Based on the needs of our partners, WordPowered strengthens the capacity of school and district coaches around both content and coaching strategies that enable them to deepen their impact on classroom instruction.
Read about a successful partnership that includes coaching-the-coach support.
Professional development done well—responsive to authentic needs, deeply tied to implementation, and delivered with an awareness of who’s in the classroom—can lead to real change. WriteBoston provides workshops on a broad range of topics, all tailored or created specifically for the particular context of the partner.
WordPowered pairs skillful workshops with implementation support such as modeling, co-planning sessions, and short-term coaching, to ensure that the practices and strategies at the core of the workshops become a part of daily classroom instruction and truly reach students.
We support educators across disciplines and content areas, with the knowledge that developing strong literacy skills happens across department and school buildings.
As an external partner, we have the unique opportunity to maintain a strategic focus on literacy in all its forms—and to ensure that the work of educators across all levels of the school ecosystem (teachers, building coaches, principals and district leaders) are aligned, coordinated and supporting powerful instructional practices in the classroom.
This work can include administrator versions of teacher/coach workshops, support aligning evaluation with instructional best practices, learning walks and literacy audits all geared towards creating impact and coherence across schools and districts.
Teens in Print
TiP for Teachers
Sign up to receive student writing from Teens in Print, schedule a workshop for your classroom, or submit student writing for publication.
Summer Journalism Institute
Discover journalism. Develop your future. Dive into Boston.
Teens in Print’s Summer Journalism Institute (SJI) aims to give Boston teens an immersive writing experience through culturally enriching outings that encourage students to interrogate the history of Boston as it relates to them using key journalism skills.
By interacting with public and cultural spaces they may not traditionally have access to, students will be able to claim ownership over larger societal narratives and produce pieces of writing that reflect their enhanced understanding of their unique position within the city of Boston. Through a combination of writing and multimedia projects, students will contribute to and challenge some of the established narratives that define people’s lived experiences in this city.
From Snapchat, to Twitter, to Buzzfeed, news is everywhere you look. Your generation is the first to have 24/7 access to everything going on in the world—but that comes with a unique set of challenges. Couple this with growing up in the city of Boston and suddenly you are the center of historical narratives that have combined with current trends that ultimately shape how people view and behave in this city. We aim to help you find your place within these larger narratives and use your voice to positively contribute to the world around you.
As a journalist this summer, you’ll get to test out the power of your voice and identity and leave with sharpened media skills, something you’ll be able to apply in the future whether you’re a reporter on the White House beat, or simply reading your news app on the T.
By the end of this hybrid six-week program, you will walk away with a deeper understanding of journalism, plus several published pieces of writing and multimedia content.
SJI is a dynamic program, and every day looks a little different. Here’s a sample of what you might experience:
- The day will begin with a check-in with a group of 30 of your peers.
- Next, you’ll break into small writing modules to talk about the piece you’re working on.
- After a break, you’ll take some independent time to work on your piece.
- You’ll have a dedicated mentor and small group check-ins to talk about your writing, ask for and offer feedback, and discuss challenges.
- The full group will come back together to share and debrief at the end of each day.
Throughout the summer, you’ll participate in multi-media workshops and explore historical landmarks across this city. You might hear from seasoned journalists, speak to professionals of color about navigating race and equity issues in the workplace, or network with adults in fields like marketing, law, and the arts.
Who participates in SJI?
Each year, we welcome about 30 teens who live in Boston and will be attending high school in September. These teens come from a vast array of neighborhoods and attend dozens of different schools across the city. Approximately 40% of our participants speak a language other than English at home.
When does SJI take place?
SJI runs for six weeks, Monday to Friday. We ask that all participants are able to commit to attending all six weeks of programming.
Where is SJI held?
SJI will be in-person this year at Suffolk University. You’ll join us in person for the first few days of programming as we review program expectations and equip you with access to our Discord server that we will use to meet virtually. Some days, we even have field trips across the city and state.
Why should I join?
Earning a byline is hard, even for adult professional journalists. But after just six weeks in the Summer Journalism Institute, you’ll be published on the Teens in Print website. Having a publication on your resume will help you stand out for other professional opportunities—like college and internships. Past participants have talked about their experience with SJI in job interviews, asked SJI mentors for feedback on their college essays, and requested recommendation letters.
How do I get paid?
Participants will be paid an hourly rate of $15 an hour up to 25 hours a week. Checks will be mailed to participants’ homes. Direct deposit is not available.
Do I need to have experience in journalism to join?
No. We do not expect participants to have experience in journalism prior to joining our program. We look for participants who are curious about the world, passionate about something and ready to learn.
What if I don’t have a laptop computer that I can use?
While students are free to use their own computer, we have laptops available for students to borrow during the summer. Students who borrow technology will be asked to sign a contract along with their parent/guardian.
If I don’t have a lot of writing experience, is SJI for me?
Whether you’re a published poet or you’ve never written a word, our mentor team at SJI will meet you where you are. Our job is to push you to grow as a writer – you just need to be excited about telling your story, and willing to practice writing every day.
While everyone will be required to write in some capacity, we’re open to having students work on products that aren’t explicitly writing, such as a photojournalism series.
Read articles published on the Teens in Print website.
Sign up for our newsletter to receive additional updates.
Check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see photos from TiP and past Summer Journalism Institutes!
Support Great Writing
We’re committed to building impactful partnerships with organizations and individuals who are invested in the next generation.
Opportunities to volunteer—as a group or as an individual—are listed below. We aim to build mutually beneficial partnerships that support the success of young people and have opportunities throughout the year. To discuss other ways to get engaged, please contact Abdi Ali, Executive Director.
Become a Source for Teen Writers
Offer your industry expertise to budding journalists. Add your contact information to our source list to be a valuable resource for young reporters.
When you sign up, students may reach out to you for a quote, interview, or for background information in your area of expertise. If you agree, your name and organization will be published as an authority for readership across the city.
Read for the Rising Voices Awards
The Rising Voices Awards (RVA) are presented for each quarterly cycle of Teens in Print, our writing program for Boston middle and high schoolers. Winning students receive a cash prize and special recognition on the Teens in Print website.
As a reader for RVA, you’ll celebrate excellent writing and engage in meaningful volunteering. Partners volunteer to read and score a selection of nominated articles to decide each cycles’ Rising Voices Award winners.
Contact Us
Thank you for your interest in WordPowered. To get in touch, please use the form below or email Ahlam Abdelkader, Communications & Development Associate at ahlamabdelkader@wordpowered.org.
Our Partners
Our partners have transformed their approach to student literacy and writing. Since 2002, we have partnered with approximately 50 schools, districts, and nonprofit organizations. To learn more about becoming a partner, please submit an inquiry through our contact form.
Boston Public Schools
Boston International High School and Newcomers Academy (BINcA) and Mel H. King Academies
Our Collaborative Coaching team continues working across content teams, both with team leads and with teachers directly.
At BINcA, our team provides support for teachers in English Language Arts, History, Science, and Math.
“[Meghan Rosenberg] has worked closely with me to transform the work of the science department. She has provided great insight on how best to shape this department with my goals for them of 1) more valuable collaboration and 2) transform instruction to embrace the science practices. The result has been a far more effective Science CPT (common planning time): we have engaged in Data Driven Instruction and prepared for implementing a new High-Quality Curriculum. Meghan has been instrumental in planning these meetings: she keeps me focused on my goals, gives helpful suggestions, and asks questions that help uncover new and more effective strategies.”
At the Mel H. King Academies, our team identifies a shared instructional focus area based on the school’s overall goals and follow a similar process for coaching teachers across departments and grade levels. Using different meeting structures to support alignment across individual teachers’ practices and lift up and share what’s working.
“I feel strongly that I have been able to improve my coaching of the teachers with whom I work because of [Rebecca Eppall]’s coaching of me. She has given some actionable strategies and ways to recast how I think about interactions with staff or teacher observations/teacher moves to break them into smaller chunks. I clicked ‘agree’ for some of the teacher specific questions because the teachers that I have spent more time with observing/debriefing/thinking together actually have seen an increase in student scores on some End of Unit assessments and student’s MAP Growth Reading and Math scores.”
Everett Public Schools
Two of our Collaborative Coaching specialists, Meredith Moore and Meghan Rosenberg, led two sessions on Reading Strategies for Engaging All Learners. Teachers spoke about the newness and even discomfort of being in a truly student-centered classroom. Here’s what our participants shared:
“I’ve used the partner reading activity pretty frequently in class and it has really revolutionized the way I approach in-class reading. It’s a great way to engage all students and allow them to be comfortable working and teaching one another.”
“Concrete, tangible resources and strategies to implement in class this week.”
You can read our strategies here.
Lynn Public Schools
During the 2024-2025 school year, WordPowered partnered with Lynn Public Schools to elevate language acquisition and development for English Learners in math classrooms. WordPowered Instructional Coach Meredith Moore worked with math department heads and 7th-grade math teachers on-site at Lynn’s three middle schools throughout the school year. Through one-on-one coaching as well as collaborative work in Professional Learning Communities, Meredith guided educators to:
- Unpack the language demands of the math curriculum, including language functions and key vocabulary
- Plan and implement instructional routines designed to amplify and develop the language of math.
By centering the needs of English Learners students, Lynn educators created new opportunities for all students to use language with increased confidence to share their ideas.
Lowell Public Schools
WordPowered partnered with Lowell High School in the 2024-2025 school year to offer two groups for a book study of Grading for Equity, followed by support of a team of teachers and administrators who will facilitate focus groups and draft changes to Lowell High School’s grading policy to increase alignment with the tenets laid out in Grading for Equity.
Following the book study groups, a WordPowered coach provided leadership coaching on an individual basis to the teacher-leader leading the small group working on the new grading policy and also offered group coaching to the small group, particularly focused on their preparation for, facilitation of, and debrief of focus groups, as well as supporting their decision-making in how they use the focus group data to inform the recommended changes to the grading policy.
Here’s what our participants shared:
“I used to see grades as a motivator, but here a LHS I can see that they are not. I am interested in finding other methods of motivation, but there are other initiatives here in Lowell that seem to be both complementary and yet paradoxically contradictory. I am hopeful that some of the shifts that I have made previously and some that I am going to try for Q4 will address some of the pillars such as bias-resistant, transparency, student self-regulation, etc.”
“I used to think grading was sort of secondary to everything else, but now I see that our grading practices really matter and influence student motivation to learn.”
826 Boston
WordPowered partnered with 826 Boston in the Spring of 2025, offering two professional development sessions focused on:
- Differentiating Instruction for English Language Learners
- Literacy Skill Development for Grades 6-8
The goals of the partnership were to:
- Support staff in building and practicing their skill in differentiating instruction for English Language Learners.
- Building staff capacity in promoting literacy skill development for students in grades 6-8.
- Engage educators in ongoing reflection, learning, and action related to culturally sustaining pedagogy and equity-centered mindsets and practices.
Here’s what a participant shared:
“I learned very helpful language and context for many of the strategies that I was already doing with my [multilingual learning] students. It reminded me to slow down and provide visual cues (comprehensible input) for both students and our international volunteers whose first language is not English. I haven’t been able to do as much with annotation or double-entry notes yet because of how class scheduling and assignments have worked out, but I plan to do more of this next school year.”
The list doesn’t stop here. We have worked with countless other schools across Massachusetts.