Author and 2008 TED Prize winner Dave Eggers

It’s not everyday that we get to see our heroes but last night, I got to see one of mine. Dave Eggers, one of my utmost favorite writers, and one of the most prolific authors of my generation, was honored by TED as one of its 2008 TED Prize winners. The evening was a celebration to share and enlighten us about Eggers’ wish and how it could come true.

Dave Eggers’ wish: Once Upon a School

I wish that you — you personally and every creative individual and organization you know — will find a way to directly engage with a public school in your area, and that you’ll then tell the story of how you got involved, so that within a year we have 1,000 examples of innovative public-private partnerships.

Working the crowd at 826LA

In a small room filled with admirers and peers such as Spike Jonze, Meg Ryan, TED’s own Chris Anderson and a variety of important personalities, Eggers talked about the mission of 826LA, (where the event was aptly held) it’s growth and the variety of ways they try to cultivate a literary future for kids. We heard poetry from one of the students, from Jonze who showed an excerpt from one his skateboard video workshops and witnessed the number of published authors that come out of the center in every given week. The best part was learning about the fascinating store facades each location adapts be it a pirate store in San Francisco or a Time Travel shop in Echo Park.

What’s not to love about books & other novel merchandise?

With the state of the stock market, education and our country’s future looking a bit bleak, the event could not have come at a better time and for the short moment that Eggers held us captive we were reminded how it feels to be engaged, inspired and hopeful.