This is the fifth of seven parts on gleaming from personal experiences as well as experiences of the 100+ youth who have taken the stage – live and virtual – through Story Crossroads since 2016. We support youth beyond the stage through Youth Teller Reunions as well as Live & Virtual Story Camps.
7-Parts:
- Part 1 – Choosing the “Right” Words – REVEALED
- Part 2 – Friend/Listener/Mentor – REVEALED
- Part 3 – The Storytelling Birthday – REVEALED
- Part 4 – Combining Talents – REVEALED
- Part 5 – Ownership of Events & Beyond – TODAY
- Part 6 – Virtual Options
- Part 7 – Wishlist Stages
Youth have amazing ideas and we, as adults, need to give them space to test them out.
Not all storytelling events involve youth. Does your event?
Even if you are not a producer of an event, you can invite youth to be with you as an individual artist.
When working with teachers, I always love to have at least a couple youth perform. I can promote youth storytelling in the classroom, but witnessing some youth share their skills can be the difference between a teacher embracing the art or not.
We cannot stop there.
Kevin Cordi and Kathy Palermo both taught storytelling classes for 9th to 12th grade students. When Kevin lived in California, the Lemoore and Hanford high schools combined forces for the annual Tellabration! in November. They made sure that the youth emceed. The youth stumbled here and there and some did better research of the performers than others…but they welcomed and celebrated with the audience.
Kevin and Kathy took it farther. They had the youth create the logos and artwork associated with the events. Every. year. I looked forward to what would be designed next. Some years were hand-drawings while other years had digital versions.
There was ownership. In everything.
Here are some articles of involving youth in planning and the process:
- https://www.pps.org/article/young-people-and-placemaking-engaging-youth-to-create-community-places
- https://www.everyday-democracy.org/tips/5-ways-overcome-barriers-youth-engagement
- https://youth-resources.org/2016/09/practical-ways-to-help-young-people-take-ownership-of-their-lives/
Be there for our youth – today.
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See our already-streamed/recorded The Big Why Panel: Historical Storytelling meets Humanities. See our 5-video playlist from the Story Crossroads Spectacular by clicking here.
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