This is the seventh 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 – REVEALED
- Part 6 – Virtual Options – REVEALED
- Part 7 – Wishlist Stages – TODAY
Youth burst out exciting ideas for stages – old and new.
Beware that I did not have a formal survey done. In fact, my two oldest kids – aged 10 and 12 – made me smile when I asked where they would like to perform…while having control over jitters.
My 10-year-old son took the traditional approach and wanted to tell at libraries. He would then want to venture onto bigger venues such as the Viridian Event Center. Interestingly, this is linked to the West Jordan Library…so technically still a library. But it is bigger in all regards. It was where we launched Story Crossroads in 2016.
My 12-year-old son decided that he wanted to improve his stories and be taught by someone to polish them up. He wanted to participate in the district-level storytelling festival that happens to feed into Story Crossroads. So far, he has not had teachers who actively teach and encourage their students to take part in that district-level event. Though, I am told that anyone can ask to be part of the district-level event if approved by a teacher. He knows that he would have to earn any spot with Story Crossroads and this is where to begin.
So, sniff, sniff, love how my boys think.
Now, are you ready for some incredible ideas?
My oldest has his eye on the GIGANTIC stage being built at The Living Planet Aquarium in Salt Lake County, Utah. He then listed the Smithsonian – National Air and Space Museum. He has always loved space and that would be his celestial-level dream.
But it does not stop here. He wanted to be the storyteller for a roller coaster at Lagoon. People could bring their own earbuds for the sounds of the story or be blasted somehow. He said that there are such things as VR Roller Coasters (see video of five of them) and perhaps something could be merged that way.
He imagined being the official storyteller of a laser tag arena to add to the intense adventure while people played.
Finally, he wanted to combine his beat-boxing skills with storytelling and perform first for a school stage and eventually at a Hip Hop concert.
Wow, wow, and more wow!
Why tell you all of this? Will this match the wishlist stages of the youth around you?
Maybe, maybe not.
The point is…have you asked? And…as truly anything is possible with enough commitment and imagination…is there any way you can make these wishlist stages come true?
I can realistically make a call at the Aquarium and propose the idea. Obviously, it would be easy to link up with libraries. Maybe youth can perform alongside a regularly scheduled storytime – combining story-reading with storytelling?
But what if those venues are closed? In lock-down?
Are there any libraries doing virutal programming? Could virtual backgrounds reveal these dream stages?
Don’t let something like a lock-down keep you down.
Brainstorm and be as awesome in ideas as our youth.
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.