In San Francisco, a partnership between a K-8 school and a non-profit writing program helps students who are achieving below grade level find their voices and blossom into confident thinkers and writers. 826 Valencia is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting under-resourced students ages six to eighteen with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. The work is based on the understanding that great leaps in learning can happen when trained tutors work with small groups of students to develop a strong foundation of writing skills. This article describes the author's experience as the program manager of 826 Valencia's program at Buena Vista Horace Mann (BVHM), a K-8 bilingual school in San Francisco's Mission neighborhood. Through 826 Valencia's project-based approach, students are supported in their exploration of writing, and over the course of the year, build confidence in their growing academic skills.