About · Press
Everything you need to write about us accurately.
We would rather hand you the facts than correct the draft. Boilerplate, numbers, names, and a phone number are all below.
Boilerplate
STENCH is a free after-school education initiative in Portland, Oregon, serving students in grades 4–8 across six neighborhood sites. Founded in 2011, the nonprofit teaches Science, Technology, Engineering, Nothing, Crafts and Haircuts, and has never charged tuition. In 2025 it served 1,240 students with 41 staff and 300 volunteers. STENCH is a 501(c)(3) organization (EIN 93-2188041).
Key facts
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011, SE Hawthorne, Portland |
| Students served (2025) | 1,240 |
| Sites | 6: Hawthorne, Foster-Powell, Montavilla, Cully, Lents, St. Johns |
| Grades | 4–8 (ages 9–14) |
| Tuition | $0, since 2011 |
| Average daily attendance | 94% |
| Annual budget | $3.42 million (FY2025) |
| Staff | 41, of whom 28 are part-time |
| Waitlist | 611 students |
| Program mix | Science, Technology, Engineering, Nothing, Crafts, Haircuts |
| Free haircuts given (2025) | 1,907 |
Names and titles
- Yolanda Pierce — executive director and co-founder
- Gus Halloran — co-founder and director of Nothing
- Priya Raman — program director
- Antoine Duval — salon director, licensed barber
- Nia Brooks — volunteer and community director
The quote we would like you to use
We are not trying to turn kids into engineers. We are trying to give them three hours where their own effort visibly changes something in front of them. The engineering is a bonus.
Photos and logo
We do not distribute photographs of enrolled children, full stop. We can provide photographs of staff, facilities, and finished student work with signed releases, or illustrations by the Portland artist who draws our annual report. The wave mark is available as SVG and PNG; please do not stretch it, recolor it, or add a smell cloud to it. It already looks like a smell cloud.
Coverage
A selection of things written about us, with the caveat that we do not control what anyone writes:
- The Portland Ledger — “The after-school program that teaches nothing on purpose” (March 2024)
- Rose City Family — “Free haircuts, real skills, and a two-week wait” (June 2025)
- Eastside Beat — “Inside the quietest room in Portland” (November 2023)
- Bridgetown Tonight — segment on the Great Haircut-a-Thon (June 2025)
- The Foster Files — “What 611 names on a waitlist actually means” (January 2026)
Writing something?
Ask us for numbers instead of guessing. We answer press requests within one business day.