On November 4th, a sea-faring crew from Wild Planet Entertainment helped a class from Tenderloin Elementary School write a captivating tale of mystery about a haunted barn. Ms. Whiston's fifth grade class was thrilled to get help from Wild Planet staff, who were dressed from head to toe in the most pirate appropriate adornments; these volunteers came to 826 Valencia to serve their community and gain inspiration through working with kids.

Our visitors included Wild Planet CEO Danny Grossman, as well as Jessica Cohen, Shannon Bruzelius, Dana Garcia, and Ed Tolan. They worked with the students to complete their stories, and bind and illustrate their books! Their regalia, made by Jess Cohen, was quite authentic – Jess has built clothes for thirty pirates and previously taught a class called "Clothes from the Golden Age of Pirates, 1680-1720" in New Orleans. The kids loved their gear and these volunteers exuded a highly contagious enthusiasm.

Once back at the office, Wild Planet CEO Danny Grossman said of the trip, “A wise person once said to me, ‘Don’t show me the toy, tell me the story!’ For those of you who haven’t yet visited 826 Valencia, you’re missing, among many other things, the chance to hear how kids hear and tell stories.” We hope all our volunteers have equally fulfilling experiences here at 826. Thank you, Wild Planet!