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Our Story
How a Grandmother’s Challenge Grew Into a Community Movement
The name “Page 15” was inspired by a childhood lesson from founder Julia Young’s grandmother Teddy, who, after witnessing Julia’s habit of abandoning books too soon, encouraged her to “always read until at least page 15 before giving up.” This simple rule, born from Teddy’s resilience through World War II and the Great Depression, now inspires generations of young authors to persevere and discover the joy in every story, especially their own.
In 2008, Julia Young, along with independent bookstore owner Bruce Harris and developer Craig Ustler, founded the Urban Think Foundation (UTF) to ensure all Orlando citizens had access to enriching literary programs. Rooted in the legacy of the Urban Think! Bookstore, UTF nurtured educational and literary arts programming, including Page 15 and independent literary press Burrow Press through 2020.
Today, Page 15 continues the proud literary legacies of Teddy and the Urban Think! Bookstore, transforming even more young lives and delivering exceptional programming to Central Florida’s youth.
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Ready to keep our story going? Here are all the ways to get involved.
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OUR APPROACH
At Page 15, students get to explore their creativity freely, without the pressure of grades or testing.
OUR IMPACT
We have empowered hundreds of children and teens, and transformed Orlando’s literary community.
OUR TEAM
We are passionate people committed to inspiring a love of reading, writing, and creativity in the next generation.