Below are links to a selection of example stories from Story Works, Arctic Entries, and The Moth.
Notes for Educators:
- Before playing these stories with your students, please listen in advance to determine whether the stories are appropriate for the intended learning environment.
- You are encouraged to listen with respect but please feel free to stop listening if you or your students need to.
- Please do reach out and contact us with any questions, comments, or suggestions. Story Works is a collaborative project and we welcome your input!
Examples from Anchorage and Unalakleet Students:
Note: Many stories fit in more than one of the thematic categories listed below. If you’d like to see your story (or someone else’s) moved to a new category, please send us a suggestion or request. Your input is welcome and appreciated!
Community and Self:
- Cornilius: Spiderman
- Juan: High Fives
- Rion: Billy Joel vs. Geena Davis
- Bennett: My Short Story
- Emily: Why I Am Who I Am
- Dre: Beautiful Day
- Dylan: Hunting? Nope. You’re too small.
- Victoria: Reading
- Daanis: At Home
- Jewel: My First Ugruk
- Josh: The Teacher’s Guitar
- Charitie: Indigeneity
- Mikey: Football
- Allison: Orange Crush
- Adonis: Living by Fight Club
- Claire: Death Grips
- Maya: Swimming
- Naomi: Kindness & Snowboarding
- Trinity: Healing
- Sam: Geography Bee
Staying True:
- Nikka: Santa is Real
- Quinn: Saving Fishes’ Lives
- Olivia: Dora Jacket
- Lovely: Singing
- Yule: Seeing Sounds
- Anna: Everything Is Going to Be Okay
Family & Friendship:
- Margo: Dog Bite
- Jessica: Treat Your Sisters Well
- Lamore: Where… is My Son
- River: Three Kinds of Dads
- Austin: Vacation
- Ailsa: My Sister
- Cora: How I Met My Best Friends
- Thalia: Standing Up for My Sister
- Dawson: An Evil Creek
- Gwen: Becoming Family
Growing Up:
- Kate: Keep Your Chin Up
- Solomon: Nail Biting
- Cinnamon: Surviving the Inevitable (Rejection)
- Diego: Crush
- Charliza: Size & Friendship
- Hayley: A Story About a Tree
- Andrea: Dream Job
Questionable Choices:
- Ben: Who Let the Dogs Out
- Brigham: The Barking Dog
- Carter: Minnesota Moon
- Ole: Change of Pace
- Horojah: Not the Pecans
- Emily: Kit Kittridge and the Roomba
- Sam: When the Walls Become the Floor
- Vanessa: Hydro Bike
- Gabby: Wet Waders
Recordings of stories from Extra Credit events:
Podcast: Youth Voice Alaska
Youth Voice Alaska is a podcast hosted by the Story Works Alaska Youth Team (SAYiT). The podcast has two seasons. The first features stories related to bullying prevention, and the second features stories and interviews of youth overcoming challenges. Thank you to all who shared stories and helped with the podcast. Extra thanks to Spirit of Youth (for funding this project!) and to the Alaska Teen Media Institute (for editing the podcasts!).
Kinship: Short Films and Stories Exploring Cultural Heritage
In partnership with See Stories and East High School, Story Works staff, volunteers, and alumni were able to participate in a project in which students explored –through stories and film– the theme of cultural heritage.
Thank you to all project partners, all participants, and to the Alaska State Council on the Arts for supporting this project. All films thanks to See Stories and project participants!
- Markus: Kinship: Connecting Students Through Stories
- Daniel: Boxing and Me
- Ruwayda: Fasting for Ramadan
- Aliya: My Mom, My Inspiration
- Mai Lee: Queej
- Iqlas: The Universal Language of Food
- Safia: Home
- See Stories project overview: Kinship
Radio shows featuring stories:
- Hear Our Voices! Story recordings produced by students in a Storytelling and Journalism Workshop with Alaska Teen Media Institute and Catholic Social Services Refugee Immigration and Assistance Service
- In Other News (November 2015): Alaska Teen Media Institute’s KNBA monthly radio hour, featuring stories from Story Works alums.
Examples from Arctic Entries:
All stories posted below were originally told as part of an Arctic Entries event. Learn more at arcticentries.com. Arctic Entries brings Alaskans to the stage to share their personal stories: funny, sad and sweet. At every performance, seven people each tell a seven-minute long, true story relating to the show’s theme. Local musicians perform a few songs, as well. Any profits made from the Arctic Entries ticket sales go to a non-profit partner selected at the beginning of each season. Currently, all Arctic Entries events take place at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts at 621 West 6th Ave., Anchorage, AK.
- Jason Slemons: Excuse me, you look like you have…
- Nelson Carpluk: Caribou Hunt
- Mike Schweiger: Just Power Through
- Agatha Erickson: Native Americans at Dartmouth
- Ricky Tagaban: Funny Men Can Weave
- Tim Paszalek: Ostrich Wrangling
- Sarah Jane Fischer: Rollerblading Dad
- Emily Ferenbacher: Rain Pants Are Not Waders
- Natasha Price: Isn’t That Exciting, Journal?
Note: She got to break the Arctic Entries “no notes” rule for this one. - Kirk Rose: Going for Broke
- Arran Forbes: Living with David
- Amanda Smith: Amanda and the Crevasse
- Lynn Paulson: Living Room Swing Set
- Jeff Robinson: Batman
- Suzanne Schmidt: Extreme Camping
- Brendan Babb: You can do it anywhere
- Valerie Waldrop: West Buttress Ascent
- Issa Brahman: Storming Normandy
- John Parsi: John Parsi, he speaks Farsi.
- Jen Gessert: Good Wife
- Ira Edwards: Team Gimp Squad
Examples from The Moth:
The Moth hosts storytelling events across the US and runs a high school storytelling program in New York City. Below are some stories from the Moth’s high school program that Story Works students in Alaska have enjoyed. Thank you to all of these storytellers –and The Moth!