Los Angeles ( CNN ) -- After being laid off from a corporate job , many people might use their severance money to pay bills or buy groceries . Keren Taylor used hers to launch a nonprofit . `` A lot of people were wondering what the hell I was doing , '' Taylor said . The former sales executive dipped into her savings and began working 18-hour days to start a creative writing program for at-risk teenagers in Los Angeles . `` Some of our girls face the greatest challenges teens could ever face : violence at home , violence in their community , huge schools with security guards in the parking lot and in the lunchroom , '' said Taylor , 50 . `` They need to know that their voice is important . Their stories are important . '' In the Los Angeles public schools , nearly one in five students drops out before high school graduation . In the last 12 years , Taylor 's organization , WriteGirl , has helped around 500 girls graduate high school and go on to college . The power of a girl -- and her pen . This year , 350 girls from 60 area high schools are participating in Taylor 's program . All the girls receive one-on-one mentoring to work on their writing , speaking skills and academics . This , Taylor says , gives them the confidence to speak up and reach out for help in school , in their relationships and at home . `` There are so many girls with so many heart-wrenching stories , '' Taylor said . `` I often wake up in the night thinking about them . '' About 150 girls take part in the group 's `` Core Program . '' Some meet with a designated mentor every week ; others attend monthly workshops for mentor support . Do you know a hero ? Nominations are open for 2014 CNN Heroes . Taylor expects all 60 of the seniors in the core program to enroll in college next year . `` We are working feverishly to make sure they all go to college , even though this is the biggest number that we 've ever had , '' she said . The other participating students are critically at-risk : Many are pregnant , have children or are incarcerated . `` ( Our van ) takes our volunteers to them , '' Taylor said . `` That 's been really exciting to bring the program to girls who otherwise would n't be able to come to us . '' Finding their voice . Taylor says the program helps the girls improve their grades and their confidence . `` They can walk into a WriteGirl workshop and they 're not going to get criticized , judged , graded , any of that , '' she said . `` They can just relax , let their ideas out and grow as individuals . '' Anastasia said she was flunking classes until she was paired with a WriteGirl mentor who took the time to work with her every week . `` My grammar improved , my sentences were beyond amazing , so it was amazing how I transformed , '' said the 14-year-old . `` I used to get F 's , and now I get A 's , B 's and C 's . '' `` A lot of our girls have those ah-ha moments , like , 'Wow , I could be a journalist . ' Or ' I could go on to go to college outside of Los Angeles , ' `` Taylor said . `` They have these eye-opening experiences that really give them a lot more hope about their future . '' The talent pool . WriteGirl mentors include journalists , screenwriters , authors , poets and executives from varied backgrounds and ethnicities . Each is asked to commit at least one hour a week to their mentee . `` Some mentors say it 's the most rewarding thing they 've ever done , '' Taylor said . `` ( They ) tell us they get just as much as they give , if not more . '' Mentors and mentees also participate in monthly programs that explore subjects such as poetry , journalism and screenwriting . The girls can also receive help with college applications . Each girl has the opportunity to submit their writing for publication . Taylor has directed the production of more than two dozen collections of works by teenage girls and their mentors . WriteGirl publications have received numerous awards . Taylor , who did n't take a salary for two years so the the program could get going , says she has no regrets about her decision to abandon the corporate world . `` I wanted to do something that would be inspiring and something that would have meaning for others , '' she said . `` I wake up every morning and I think about how we can make a greater impact . '' Want to get involved ? Check out the WriteGirl website at www.writegirl.org and see how to help .
Keren Taylor began WriteGirl , a writing program for at-risk teens in Los Angeles . The former sales exec started the nonprofit with severance pay when she was laid off . Participants get one-on-one mentoring to work on writing , speaking skills and schoolwork . Do you know a hero ? Hide Caption