OUR PROGRAMS
In our programs, kids work with mentors to explore their own experiences, write their own story, share it with others, and see it come to life.
All of our programs are aligned with Common Core and CASEL’s SEL Framework, National Core Arts Standards, and California Arts Standards, and integrate Social Justice Standards as outlined by Learning for Justice.
School-based programs
Young Storyteller’s flagship direct-service programs typically take place over the course of a semester and are held in-person during instructional hours at partner school sites. Many are facilitated by volunteers trained by YS. Learn more about volunteering by clicking the button below!
For the safety of our students, volunteers, and their communities, all volunteers and staff participating in in-person programs and activities must be vaccinated, and booster shots are encouraged.
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![Mentor in the foreground speaking to a student smiling up at him]()
Script to Stage
STORYTELLING TO EXPLORE CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION.
This nine-week, Common Core-aligned elementary school program places students with an adult mentor one-on-one to write scripts that are entirely their own, then actors perform those for the students and their peers live at a show. The Script to Stage program uplifts individual student voices as they craft stories based on important lessons from their own lives, and build characters with strong motivations by looking at the communities and circumstances that affect their behavior.
95% of teachers noticed an improvement in the writing skills of their students.
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![One woman speaking while another woman looks up at her. 3 students are seen also listening. All are situated in a circle.]()
Collaborative Script to Stage
STORYTELLING TO BUILD CONNECTION AND COLLABORATION SKILLS.
This nine-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 one to two mentors. When their story is complete, they watch it come to life with the help of professional actors at a Big Show. 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.
“My favorite thing is that we had a group to create a little story and then when we were all done, then we put it together!"
- Student, Spring 2020 -
![A student speaking while an image is projected on a whiteboard behind him. In the foreground, there is the back of another student's head.]()
Middle School Stories
STORYTELLING TO UNDERSTAND GOALS AND NAVIGATE OBSTACLES.
A mixture of adult mentorship and collective exploration, students in our middle school program work collaboratively with a group mentor to create monologues about moments in their lives when they felt misunderstood. Then, they work with actors who perform those pieces.
80% of students felt that the program helped them consider the feelings and views of others.
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![A mentor and a high school student staring at each other while smiling]()
High School Stories
STORYTELLING TO EXPLORE COMMUNITY & REPRESENTATION.
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.
96% of students better understood how to influence people using different modes of persuasion.
YS Anywhere
YS Anywhere programs* move beyond the classroom: from fun and engaging storytelling and narrative units online; to one-day interactive writing workshops; to community-based learning sessions, and more!
These streamlined, hyper-specific lessons units and workshops available either online or in-person throughout the year. Check back often to see our multitude of offerings, and click the button below to join YS @ The Achievery—a FREE digital learning platform where our acclaimed programs are available—anytime, anywhere, and for anyone.
*Yes, they are also aligned with Common Core standards and integrate CASEL Social Emotional Learning Framework!
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![Against a light green background, a woman with braids and a grey sweatshirt stands next to a man in a red shirt and grey sweatshirt. They smile at the camera.]()
THE ACHIEVERY
STORYTELLING TO ENGAGE AND INSPIRE EVERYWHERE.
The Achievery is a free digital learning platform created in partnership with AT&T to make distance learning more engaging, entertaining, and inspiring for K-12 students.
Our fun multimedia lessons and activities draw inspiration from television and film, as well as our own tried and true programming to teach storytelling, social emotional learning skills, and English Language Arts.
Students, families, and educators can access The Achievery online for free.
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![A mentor and student looking at a piece of paper while the mentor is writing something.]()
Day of Story
STORYTELLING TO GROW EXCITEMENT AND CONNECTION.
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. This program helps students to draw connections between characters and their own lives, and share about their personal identity within groups.
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 NBCUniversal. Contact us if you and your team want to take part!
91% of students are more confident in sharing their creative ideas.
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![A fun blue graphic shows a smiling man in a grey shirt and short braids, a cartoon mountain, and two young women pretending to struggle on the ground. "STORY TIME" text is above them.]()
Story Time
STORYTELLING FOR ANYONE, ANYWHERE.
Story Time is a free educational web series created in partnership with AT&T to help young people across the nation tell their own stories. The Young Storytellers crew guides the viewer through the process of writing a story from start to finish through a series of twelve videos and worksheets.
Story Time is aligned to Common Core, National Core Arts Standards, and California Arts Standards, and integrates CASEL’s SEL Framework and Social Justice Standards as outlined by Learning for Justice. Check it out!
An Educator Guide is also available to adapt Story Time to the classroom or home.
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![A student smiling while pointing at a piece of artwork on a wall with other artworks.]()
Story Lab
STORYTELLING AND WRITING TO SUPPORT SELF-EXPLORATION.
Story Lab, a Warner Bros. Discovery program developed in partnership with 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. Warner Bros. Discovery 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.”
Story Lab is aligned to Common Core, National Core Arts Standards, and California Arts Standards, and integrates CASEL’s SEL Framework and Social Justice Standards as outlined by Learning for Justice.
Teachers reported that their students showed more mutual respect and understanding for their classmates.
OUR Sites
Please note that not all sites indicated below are necessarily active every semester.
Volunteers will be placed according to availability!
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