Young Storytellers Foundation

DEVELOP LITERACY THROUGH THE ART OF STORYTELLING.

YOUNG STORYTELLERS EQUIPS YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE THE DRIVING FORCE OF THEIR OWN NARRATIVES. WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND CREATING STORIES TO RAISE THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO DON'T OFTEN GET HEARD. WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN A YOUNG PERSON UNDERSTANDS THE POWER OF THEIR OWN STORY-MADE OF THEIR UNIQUE BACKGROUND, CULTURE, RACE, GENDER, SEXUALITY, IMMIGRATION STATUS, GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION, AND ECONOMIC STATUS-IT CREATES A MORE EMPATHETIC AND EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR EVERYONE. WE RAISE VOICES, ONE STORY AT A TIME.YOUNG STORYTELLERS COMPLETED TWO SEMESTERS, TOTALING 81 SESSIONS OF ITS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS DURING 2021. YOUNG STORYTELLERS COORDINATED AND ADMINISTERED THEIR PROGRAMS SUCCESSFULLY IN OVER 40 PUBLIC ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY. IN THE SPRING OF 2021, THESE PROGRAMS WERE PROVIDED VIRTUALLY IN RESPONSE TO SCHOOL CLOSURES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC STARTING IN MARCH 2020. IN THE FALL OF 2021, ALL PROGRAMS RETURNED TO SCHOOL CAMPUSES IN-PERSON. APPROXIMATELY 4,000 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED AS STORYTELLERS BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY. IN RESPONSE TO A TRANSITION TO REMOTE LEARNING, YOUNG STORYTELLERS PROVIDED TWO NEW PROGRAM OFFERINGS: COLLABORATIVE STORIES, AN ONLINE STORYTELLING PROGRAM ENGAGING SMALL GROUPS OF STUDENT WRITERS, AND STORY TIME, A SERIES OF PROFESSIONALLY PRODUCED VIDEOS AND EXERCISES CREATED FOR STUDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH DURING REMOTE LEARNING. THESE WERE IN ADDITION TO OUR FLAGSHIP SCRIPT TO STAGE PROGRAM, MIDDLE SCHOOL STORIES PROGRAM, AND WM STORY LAB IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WARNERMEDIA, DC COMICS, AND LAUSD. YOUNG STORYTELLERS ALSO CREATED ORIGINAL CURRICULUM FOR AT&T'S THE ACHIEVERY, A FREE DIGITAL LEARNING PLATFORM FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS NATIONWIDE. . APPROXIMATELY 410 VOLUNTEER MENTORS PARTICIPATED IN YOUNG STORYTELLERS PROGRAMS DURING 2021 AND THESE MENTORS VOLUNTEERED OVER 7,380 HOURS OF THEIR TIME. IN ADDITION, APPROXIMATELY 63 ACTORS VOLUNTEERED AT IN-SCHOOL BIG SHOWS, AS PERFORMERS OF THE STUDENT'S STORIES, DONATING AN ADDITIONAL 189 HOURS OF THEIR TIME.DURING 2021, YOUNG STORYTELLERS PUBLISHED MULTIPLE HANDBOOKS AND WORKBOOKS BASED ON EACH OF THEIR PROGRAM OFFERINGS. THESE WERE DISTRIBUTED TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS LOS ANGELES SERVED BY THE YOUNG STORYTELLERS PROGRAMS.