Young Storytellers

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Young Storytellers, formerly widely known as the Young Storytellers Foundation, is an arts education non-profit operating primarily in Los Angeles.

Young Storytellers currently serves elementary, middle, and high school students in Southern California,[1] including the cities of Los Angeles, Culver City, Santa Monica, and Burbank, New York City, Austin, Texas, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Akron, Ohio. Young Storytellers supports students in Title 1 schools;[2] these are schools and school districts with the highest concentrations of poverty in which academic performance tends to be low and the obstacles to raising performance are the greatest. The program improves writing and self-confidence while also focusing on social and emotional learning and including components of Learning for Justice's Social Justice Standards.[3][4]

History[]

Young Storytellers began as an in-school mentoring program in 1997 - by three screenwriters Mikkel Bondesen, Brad Falchuk, and Andrew Barrett upon learning about cutbacks in funding for creative arts programs in the Los Angeles public schools.[5][6] The first school adopted into the program was Playa Del Rey Elementary School, an elementary school in Culver City.[7] The program was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 2003.[5]

Programs[]

The organization benefits elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools.[7] In 2016, 20th Century Fox invited Young Storytellers students to participate in the Fox Writers Intensive.[8]

Script to Stage[]

The Script to Stage program is its main program whereby students in fifth grade write short stories in the course of nine weeks later to be performed by actors on stage.[7] Students in the programs are selected on multiple criteria by teachers and can include students who are not proficient in the English language, have difficulty with reading and writing, have difficulties interacting with their peers socially, have learning differences, or are on the Autism spectrum.[7][9] The Script to Stage program produces 1200 scripts per year.[10]

Collaborative Stories[]

This 9-week program is based on the foundation of Script to Stage, but facilitates more collaboration as writers work together to tell a story through large group sessions guided by 1-2 mentors.[11] When their story is complete, students watch it come to life with the help of professional actors at a virtual Big Show.[11] As part of this program, students reflect on challenges and unfairness they’ve seen or experienced in their own lives, and work with the group to find nonviolent solutions to these events through metaphor and story.[11] This program began in Spring 2020 as an adaptation for the switch to online learning.

Day of Story[]

A condensed version of the Script to Stage program, Day of Story is a one-day, in-school workshop that pairs mentors one-on-one with 4th grade students to help them create their own story outline along with a descriptive poster.[11] This program helps students to draw connections between characters and their own lives, and share about their personal identity within groups.[11] Young Storytellers has run Day of Story workshops with variable sizes of groups (anywhere from 20–100 adult mentors), with corporations such as Disney, U.S. Bank, and Verve.[11]

WM Story Lab[]

WM Story Lab, developed in partnership with Warner Media and LAUSD's Arts Education Branch and Division of Instruction, delivers original curriculum to sixth-grade middle school students that focuses on core storytelling skills while reinforcing confidence, empathy, and personal voice through self-reflection and creativity.[11] Warner Media and DC Entertainment lent the use of its DC Super Heroes as a tool to get students to think about heroes in their lives and their own "superpowers".[11]

Middle School Stories[]

A mixture of adult mentorship and collective exploration, students in our middle school program work collaboratively with a group mentor to create first person narratives about challenges they face and then work with actors who later perform those pieces.[11]

High School Stories[]

In this teacher-led program, high school students create stories that represent their communities. With the help of mentor support and coaching, students identify communities that bring them a sense of belonging and unpack how they see their communities represented by various types of media. Then, students work in groups to create stories they believe represent their self identified communities. The program culminates in a live show where actors perform student pieces.[11] Volunteer actors then perform their work.[11]

Story Clubhouse[]

A pre-recorded video series where students’ stories are acted out for a larger audience to watch on YouTube.[12]

Story Time[]

A free 12-video online video series created in partnership with AT&T that serves as a guide that allows students to create their own stories directly from their own homes.[13] This program was created to serve more students during Covid-19 when students were not able to participate in in-person programs.

Program Shifts During Covid-19[]

In 2020, Young Storytellers adapted its in-person programs to be virtual due to COVID-19 pandemic.[14][15] During the switch to virtual programming, Young Storytellers also created new programs such as Collaborative Stories, Story Clubhouse, and Story Time.[15][11][13] Previously existing programs were adapted so that students could meet with their mentors virtually and create stories via Zoom (software).Young Storytellers is planning to return to in-person programming beginning Fall 2021.[11]

Young Storytellers' Values[]

You Belong[]

“Originality and individuality are things to be celebrated. We serve young people and adults by cultivating an open community where everyone gives of themselves and speaks fully from their unique perspectives.”[11]

People Connect[]

“Genuine connection between people requires empathy and sensitivity. The respect and honesty needed to connect is a fundamental element of everything that we do.”[11]

We Explore[]

“Being vulnerable and inventive requires a supportive environment. Young Storytellers fosters exploration of the self and the world in which we live, while empowering our community to tell their stories.”[11]

Everyone Plays[]

“Play with a purpose allows participants to engage with wonder and investigate their world. This is how we remove roadblocks to creativity and build a more whole collective.”[11]

Volunteers[]

Programs are run by volunteer Head Mentors and volunteer Mentors. Mentors in the Script to Stage Program work one-on-one with a student for the duration of the nine-week program to create a screenplay and the resulting screenplay is then performed by a volunteer performer.[16] There are currently over 2,500 volunteers in Los Angeles serving 1,200 students in 60 schools.[7]

Funding[]

The organization received grants from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association multiple times. In 2013 the organization was represented by Olivia Wilde[17] and received a portion of the $1.6 million in grants given by the HFPA that year.[18] 2016 in the amount of $10,000.[19]

In 2015, the organization received a grant from the $4.5 million given to the Los Angeles arts scene from Michael Bloomberg Philanthropies.[20] Jane Fonda's, Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential, has also provided funding.[21]

Partnerships[]

March 2017, Young Storytellers partnered with Disney to give a group of students early access to see the live action version of Beauty and the Beast[22] These students then created their own stories based on the film.[23] Then, in collaboration with Tongal, an independent creative network, the students’ stories were turned into live action and animated short films.[23]

In February 2018, a group of Young Storytellers students were invited to a special premier of Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time and given the opportunity to create and then share stories based on the film.[24] Disney then turned these stories into either short films or live performances to highlight the students’ storytelling.[24]

In October 2020, Young Storytellers partnered with Netflix to have members of the Over the Moon cast host a dramatic reading of a student's story.[25]

Notable performers[]

Young Storytellers' annual fundraiser, "The Biggest Show," invites actors and comedians from film and television to perform their student's screenplays. In 2014, student screenplays were performed by Rob Corddry, Max Greenfield, John Cho, Alison Brie, Jillian Bell and Stephanie Beatriz. Corddry stated, "[the program] is kind of mythical in this world that I run in. You can't have a bad time. There's no pressure. You can't fail. It's pretty much everything you want as an actor. It's pretty much everything I've been looking for my whole life".[26] In 2016, when asked about "The Biggest Show," Seth Rogen said: "One of the main things that made me want to do it was to encourage these kids to continue to do this stuff. I was not the type of person that would persevere through discouragement at that age."[27]

2015 Biggest Show[28]

2016 Biggest Show[7]

2017 Biggest Show[29]

2018 Biggest Show[30]

2019 Biggest Show[31]

2020 Biggest Show[32]

2021 Biggest Show

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (9 October 2013). "Young Storytellers Foundation Helps Kids Bring Out Their Inner Writer". Variety. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  2. ^ Whelan, Corey (11 March 2015). "Storytelling Skills Boosted For Public School Students Through Special Program". CBS Los Angeles. CBS. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  3. ^ "EYE ON L.A. FOR JUNE 20, 2009 Originally aired Sat., June 20, at 6:30 p.m." Eyewitness News ABC 7. ABC Inc. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Why It Matters".
  5. ^ a b Flynn, Kathleen. "Pros Have Supporting Roles in Scriptwriting Sessions". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ Evaristo, Jasmine. "TV STARS SUPPORT YOUNG STORYTELLERS ARTS INITIATIVE". Young Hollywood. Young Hollywood LLC. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Greiving, Tim (18 October 2016). "Seth Rogen, Tony Hale and Jordan Peele will perform short plays written by fifth-graders". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  8. ^ Variety Staff (3 February 2016). "Fox Sets Participants in 2016 Writers Intensive Program, Partners with Young Storytellers". Variety. Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  9. ^ "What We do".
  10. ^ Martin, Brittany. "Seth Rogen, Tony Hale and other stars are performing a series of plays by fifth graders". Time Out. Time Out America LLC. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "What We do".
  12. ^ "The Story Clubhouse".
  13. ^ a b "Story Time".
  14. ^ "For many arts nonprofits, the show must go online".
  15. ^ a b https://www.youngstorytellers.com/covid-19[dead link]
  16. ^ Rodriguez, Briana. "Volunteer Org Seeks Actors to Help Kids". Backstage. Backstage. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  17. ^ HFPA. "GRANTS 2013: OLIVIA WILDE FOR YOUNG STORYTELLERS". Golden Globe Awards. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  18. ^ Pond, Steve (13 August 2013). "Hollywood Foreign Press Promises To Get Serious About Journalism, Gives $1.6 million in Grants". The Wrap. The Wrap News Inc.
  19. ^ Celada, Luca. "HFPA Announces 2016 Philanthropy at Annual Banquet". Golden Globes. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  20. ^ Boehm, Mike (18 September 2015). "L.A. arts groups get $4.5 million from Michael Bloomberg's foundation". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  21. ^ Adeniji, Ade. "Jane Fonda's Philanthropy: A Hollywood Legend Keys in on Reproductive Health". Inside Philanthropy. Inside Philanthropy. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  22. ^ "Young Storytellers is the Ryan Murphy-Backed Organization Helping Kids Create Screenplays". 23 March 2017.
  23. ^ a b "'Beauty and the Beast' Short Imagines How Gaston and le Fou Met (Exclusive Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. 24 March 2017.
  24. ^ a b "Student Writers Present Short Films Inspired by Ava DuVernay's 'A Wrinkle in Time'". The Hollywood Reporter. 23 February 2018.
  25. ^ "Page introuvable - Netflix News : Toutes les nouveautés et l'actualité de vos programmes !".
  26. ^ THR Staff (30 October 2014). "ROB CORDDRY, MAX GREENFIELD AMONG ACTORS PERFORMING SKITS BY GRADE SCHOOL SCREENWRITERS". Pret-A-Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  27. ^ "Seth Rogen, Tony Hale and Jordan Peele will perform short plays written by fifth-graders". Los Angeles Times. 2016-10-18. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  28. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (5 October 2015). "Keegan-Michael Key, Max Greenfield Set for Young Storytellers' Biggest Show Fundraiser". Variety. Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  29. ^ "Young Storytellers to Honor HBO at Biggest Show Fundraiser". 6 October 2017.
  30. ^ "The Theatre | Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles".
  31. ^ "The Theatre | Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles".
  32. ^ "Young Storytellers' "Biggest Show"".

External links[]

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