Young Storytellers Nonprofit Launches Jamie Tarses Fund in Tribute to the Influential TV Executive
Young Storytellers has established the Jamie Tarses Fund to honour the late television executive and support its writing programmes in Los Angeles public schools. Tarses, who died in 2021 aged 56, was an early supporter and joined the nonprofit’s board in 2003.
The organisation pairs students with volunteer mentors to write short stories, which actors perform at the end of each school programme. In 2025, 786 volunteers mentored more than 440 students weekly across 39 schools and after-school sites. The fund is being formally unveiled at the annual Biggest Show; Young Storytellers began in 1997 and recently appointed Kevin Bolling as executive director.
In short
- Young Storytellers has created a fund in Jamie Tarses’s memory.
- It will support the nonprofit’s school writing programmes.
- In 2025, volunteers mentored over 440 students across 39 sites.
Explained simply
Young Storytellers is a non-profit organisation founded in 1997 that runs writing programmes in Los Angeles public schools and after-school sites. Students work with volunteer mentors to write short stories, which actors perform at the end of each programme.
Jamie Tarses was a television executive who supported the organisation early on and joined its board in 2003. She died in 2021, aged 56. The new fund bears her name and is intended to support Young Storytellers’ writing programmes.
The organisation also holds an annual event called the Biggest Show, where the fund is being formally unveiled. Kevin Bolling was recently appointed executive director.