Program

Because you have a life, you have a story. StoriesLive® teaches students how to develop a personal narrative through the art of storytelling. Students’ engagement with English Language Arts is enhanced as they hone their skills through what is often a transformational public speaking experience. In the past 6 years, over 8,000 Massachusetts high school students have learned to tell their stories in this unique curriculum-based project. All students learn valuable presentation skills and engage in narrative forms as “authors”. Their stories and skills are of immediate practical use in college application essays, college interviews and in representing their experiences at job interviews. Participants listen to a professional storyteller model the skills they will learn and then are led through a series of powerful exercises, which enable them to create 1st person narratives on set themes which are aligned with College Common Application essay prompts. All students demonstrate their new skills as they listen to and perform their stories for each other in a culminating contest or “slam” as CCSS requirements for public speaking are met. This residency also includes teacher training and all the materials necessary for teachers to include a unit on oral storytelling in their curriculum and run their own story slams in future years. Residencies are customizable and can include a culminating event run by Norah.