Continuing to Raise the Voices of Young Storytellers

In these times of heightened anxiety, fear, and isolation due to COVID-19, we believe that it’s more important than ever to gather together to raise the voices of young people, connect with one another, and just have fun. While we don’t know what’s to come in the months ahead, or how our world will be different after this is all over, we do know that we can’t stop connecting with one another through story.

As our in-school programming has been suspended until further notice, our staff and board are working diligently and safely from our own homes to keep raising the voices of young people across the country while fostering connection within our community in the following ways:

• We’ve created a virtual gathering called The Story Clubhouse, a weekly version of our programs’ Big Shows, where volunteer actors bring our students’ work to life. These online celebrations are a way for our volunteers to continue giving back, our students to feel appreciated, and our supporters to connect with us and each other.

• We are adapting our in-school programming – both Script to Stage and Day of Story – to be virtually available to all students from the Spring 2020 semester so they can complete their Young Storytellers experiences with the help of our volunteers and school partners.

• We are adapting the WB Story Lab program in partnership with Warner Bros. and DC Comics so that 6th-8th grade English teachers across LAUSD can engage their students in a Common Core aligned creative writing and visual art program. Participating students will identify their superpower and create an autobiographical superhero who makes the world a better place by helping others.

• We are creating YouTube videos and activities inspired by our programs that will be available at any time online so that the millions of young people and families that are stuck at home across the country will have the opportunity to experience the Young Storytellers magic and develop their creative voices.

• We are committed to maintaining full-time employment and equitable compensation for our small but mighty staff team, as each individual is essential to our success in adapting to these uncertain times.

We believe deeply in the role and power of storytelling in each of our lives. In order to continue doing all this into the future, we need your help. By making a donation on our website, whether large, small, one-time, or monthly, you’ll help to write a narrative of success for our young people and will have the opportunity to belong to a community of people who share your values.

Help us raise the voices of young people across this country, one story at a time.