Slide PROVIDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO 21st Century
Literacy Skills for FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS

Slide ForWords believes that literacy unlocks the power of knowledge for the youth we serve. The 21st century skills taught at ForWords are tools necessary for our students’ future academic and workplace success. Slide The ForWords mission is to ensure equitable access to education for youth who face language, cultural and economic barriers. Our work is devoted to teaching students the skills necessary to become confident, productive and engaged citizens in our democracy. Slide ForWords fulfills its mission through a unique, project-based curriculum that augments the work of our local school districts and builds skills in reading, writing, speaking, critical thinking, research, technology and the arts. Our 5 cornerstone programs operate during the school day, after school, on Saturdays, and during the summer.

We Inspire

Our staff, board, and our many supporters have watched with joy as our 4000+ students have flourished.

butterfly cut out book writing

My passion is to write,
sometimes it takes time,
usually my mind ends dry,
Sometimes I feel words melting on my head,
letters create wonderful worlds,
Stories come in my dreams,
the ideas flow as water in the sea,
To express the unseen, and see the unexpressed,
that is the magic of letters.

CHRISTOPHER, FORWORDS STUDENT

forwords students different locations

The 5 Cornerstone ForWords Programs

Our Beginnings

Inspired by the life of Catie Siegel, an avid young student and writer, ForWords opened its doors in 2007 as a safe and vibrant learning community for first generation students in the North Bay. Today Catie's legacy lives on in the self-discovery, and joy of learning found in ForWords students.

The United States Congress formally recognized the work and students of ForWords.
green heart

ForWords Commitment to Equality

At the heart of the ForWords philosophy as reflected in the students and community we serve, is a strong, unchanging, and clear belief in the rights and possibilities of all peoples. We fully endorse and incorporate into our work, a commitment to ending discrimination, stereotyping, and unequal application of law and resources in our country.  We support the right of all peoples, especially people of color to a full measure of the American dream. We fully support Black Lives Matter.