What We Do<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
We currently offer in-person programs for high school students in both Anchorage and Unalakleet, Alaska. We also share our resources<\/a> for supporting those programs with interested educators and students in other communities.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Story Workshops<\/strong><\/a> bring volunteer story coaches (professionals from the community and project alums from within the school) into high school English classrooms to encourage and support student storytellers. The stories that emerge offer opportunities for learning and connection between peers and community members.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n College Admissions Essay Workshops<\/strong><\/a> offer free, out-of-school support to students developing college admissions essays. Participating students attend workshops on essay development and are matched with volunteers (journalists, writers, editors, former English teachers etc.) who offer support and encouragement during this challenging and high stakes process.<\/p>\r\n Story Circles<\/a> <\/strong>are opportunities for small groups of people to gather together to listen and share thoughts and stories related to a common theme. No preparation is necessary and each participant has the option to share or simply listen to others. Story Circles aren\u2019t about performing. Rather, the purpose is to listen and connect.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Story Works Alaska Youth Team (SAYiT<\/strong>)<\/a> is a group of Story Works participants who meet outside of school time to plan and conduct projects to support youth voices and healthy connection through stories.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Pictured: SAYiT members after hosting Extra Credit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We were founded to capture some of the growing energy around storytelling in our community and share it with the students in our schools. And we continue to grow in response to the power of the students and their stories.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Our workshops offer students and teachers a chance to receive additional support from trained volunteers while engaging in the timeless art of constructing meaning through stories–their stories. They also offer schools and communities a way to value, support, and listen to student voices.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Currently, we host our Story Workshops in high schools in both Anchorage and Unalakleet, Alaska. However, our Story and College Essay lessons and materials have been used by educators as far away as New York and Texas.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Our physical location is in Bartlett High School (1101 Golden Bear Dr., Anchorage, Alaska).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We also host free College Essay Workshops on evenings and weekends at our office and with community partners such as Bartlett High School<\/a>, the Anchorage Museum<\/a>, TRIO\/Upward Bound<\/a>, and CIRI<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Story Works Alaska Youth Team (SAYiT), also meets outside of school time to plan events, produce podcasts, and manage other projects. These meetings are held at our office in the Youth Hub space we share with Spirit of Youth<\/a>, the Alaska Teen Media Institute (ATMI)<\/a>, and Youth Vote<\/a>. If you are a\u00a0high school student interested in joining SAYiT, please message us on Instagram (@storyworksak) or email us at info@storyworksak.org.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Note: For a short intro to ATMI and what goes on there, we highly recommend this video<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Story Works Alaska\u00a0<\/strong>is sustained by the efforts of dedicated teachers, students, and the volunteers who work with them. Among others, our volunteers include journalists, scientists, nonprofit professionals, medical professionals, retired teachers, lawyers, writers, members of the military, professional storytellers, and two mathematicians. To learn more about some of the individuals involved, please read on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Since Story Works began (way back in February 2014), over 2,000 high school students (and a handful of middle school students) have participated in our workshops. These students include Anchorage-area students from Polaris, West, East, Service, Bartlett, Steller, and Dimond High Schools along with students in grades 8-12 in the community of Unalakleet, Alaska.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Although participants have the choice to opt out (and write an essay or share to a small group), more than 99% choose to share their stories aloud –with volunteers, teachers, and each other. \u00a0Stories have been shared in\u00a0classrooms, in hallways, in stairwells, and on school stages.\u00a0 And even beyond school walls, at\u00a0Arctic Entries<\/a>\u00a0events –in front of audiences of up to 1,500 people– and at other community-wide events.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Story Works student storytellers from Anchorage\u2019s West and Dimond High Schools have also been featured on the\u00a0Alaska Teen Media Institute\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0youth radio\u00a0show, In Other News.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Vik Patel <\/strong>(Co-founder and Lecturer)\u00a0got his early start in story coaching by picking apart his parents’ attempts to punish him. “If you take away my television privileges, you become the bad guy. Inspire me, Mom; don’t make me root against you.” Happily,\u00a0Vik grew to be less obnoxious as an adult, but still enjoys working with storytellers. \u00a0A longtime producer and story coach\u00a0for Anchorage storytelling program\u00a0Arctic Entries<\/a>, Vik wrote the first draft of the Story Works curriculum and sheds a tear each and every time we shorten the Storytelling Basics lesson.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Vik is the creator of Alaska Public Media’s New Arrivals<\/em> series, and currently works in podcasting for Sony Music in Los Angeles, where the most interesting thing about him is that he used to live in Alaska. Vik once again lives with his Mom, who still limits his television time.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Regan Brooks <\/strong>(Co-founder, Board of Directors, and Acting Volunteer Executive Director) was born and raised in New York City and has called Anchorage, Alaska home for eleven years. She first developed her love of storytelling in high school* but took a detour into the sciences for a while because birds, plants and physics are awesome too. A former science teacher, ornithology research assistant, fry-cook, and costume character, Regan holds a BS in Government from Cornell University and an MS in Botany from the University of Vermont. She loves being a mom to her two kids, taking them hiking even when they don’t want to go, and hearing them tell stories about it later. She believes storytelling helps us make sense of what matters most and she’s grateful to all who have collaborated, through storytelling and listening, to make Story Works possible. Rachel Kittoe<\/strong>\u00a0(Co-founder and Partner Teacher) has been teaching English at West High School since 2009. Rachel enjoys bringing Story Works to her students because it enhances the classroom community and builds morale. She also loves how it helps students learn how to think about structure and editing. “The process of crafting a story to tell verbally is very similar to the writing process and, as we work, I can see students learn how to transfer these skills.”<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Temperance Tinkerkays<\/strong>\u00a0(Co-founder and Partner Teacher)\u00a0spends her days at West High School conserving habitat for the endangered species of the teenage mind. Temperance first hosted Story Works (then The West High Storytelling Project) in her classroom in February 2014. She is excited to be involved in bringing storytelling into the high school English Language Arts classroom.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Plus this project would not be possible without our board<\/a>, staff<\/a>, and another 100+ volunteers and 10+ teachers \u2013all of whom have contributed countless hours towards supporting students and their stories.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We also thank our many partner organizations and donors<\/span><\/strong><\/a> for their relentless support of our mission.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPrograms:<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhy We Do It<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Where We Are<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Who We Are<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Students<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Want to hear some of their stories?\u00a0Listen here.<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Co-founders<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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*Thank you, Mrs. Frosch and Mme. Krauthammer!<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/storyworksak.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/fullsizeoutput_b9.jpeg\")
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<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHow to keep in touch with the Story Works Alaska team…<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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