Click to get a glimpse of what Story Tapestries program participants experience:
The feedback we receive fuels us forward and guides us as we continuously improve as well as design and develop new programs and services.
Click to share your own testimonial with Story Tapestries!
Inspired by the stories you read below? Contact us to book a program for your community now!
Let’s hear about Story Tapestries’ impact in the words of those who have participated:
“Our most impactful takeaway was that some of our most impacted students with 504s and IEPS (support plans for students with physical or mental disabilities) were the students that shined when it came to sharing poetry. They were applauded by their classmates and brought teachers to tears because students who hadn’t engaged in a genuine manner all year were commanding a presence through their written words.”
“Students were engaged throughout the entire process, despite the fact that they were virtual. Students continued to talk about the stories they had written before and after working with both artists. Even when they weren’t working with the artists, they were trying to think of what else they could add to their story. One class had to end their story with “To be continued…” since they had so much more they wanted to add to it. Students in other classes were also complimenting their peers who were in a different class on the stories they had created. It was wonderful to hear!”
“Most students were actively engaged throughout the program. Students, particularly ESOL (English as a Second Language), had the opportunity to practice speaking, listening, reading and writing. Students gained confidence in themselves and their ability to be creative, to think/write/speak expressively. (They learned) how to support others in a community.”
“What resonated the most for me was that the arts can easily be accessible to all. The students were able to create their own poetry and perform it. It was a tremendous experience watching them succeed and gain confidence in this area.”
“Students became more confident in themselves and certainly in their writing. They became more comfortable with expressing deep thoughts and feelings in both a written and performative manner. Students were introduced to poetry in a new way and were surprised and delighted that poetry wasn’t just rhyming couplets. Students were engaged in the creative process with Regie, and became thoughtful and respectful listeners to their peers. Students in the school have continued to use writing and poetry as a creative outlet during down time.”
“My film students turned on their cameras routinely for the first time all year. Their final projects are the best films they have created thus far. My special ed theatre students LOVED the residency.
-One of the non-verbal students is making his puppet move their mouth with the words.
-One student with Downs Syndrome said “This is the funnest class ever!”
-A substitute teacher told me this is the most engaged she’s ever seen students in the classroom.
-A majority of students memorized the short poem – the most memorization they’ve done all year.”
– Educator at Seneca Valley, HS
“We have certainly had an interesting school year, and I wanted to let you know that our residency with Story Tapestries definitely offered some fun and positivity during some of the challenging times! Templeton had an amazing experience working with Regie this year. Thank you for your encouragement, support and patience with me in applying for the MSAC grant. The teachers and students really enjoyed the opportunity and staff have been requesting that Regie comes back again next year.”
– Amy Robinson, Assistant Principal, Templeton Elementary School
“Peppertree Children’s Center is so excited to have been chosen to participate in programming with Story Tapestries! My staff has enjoyed the professional development sessions and has used every idea with their classes! The art kits were a big hit with my children and their families!! Interacting with the people from Story Tapestries has been such a pleasure – they are so fun!!!”
– Debbie Brol, Peppertree Children’s Center
“Students don’t get to see other kids at the bus stop, passing in the hall, out at recess or leaving for dismissal in virtual learning. These things use to be normal parts of the school day that many students took for granted. Due to the pandemic, students now only see the students in their classroom on the computer screen. This performance gave them a visual of their Galway community and it meant a lot to them. Seeing other students at a school performance made it feel like regular school for a few moments and that was priceless.”
– Dorothea Fuller, Principal, Galway Elementary School
“I started hearing talk about “Regie” and then words like “awesome”, “funny” and “best thing in school so far”… Thank you for bringing a different program into our school that excited and energized the students in a year that has been so difficult for them and the teachers.”
– Megan Montgomery, PTA Parent, Durham, NC
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Feedback about the Share Your Life Stories program presented in partnership with the Maryland Department of Aging and Area Agencies on Aging, in response to the Storytelling Broadcast featuring Noa Baum:
“Love, love, loved the name story–especially as a woman named Shawn. Brought a tear to my eye. I am listening on behalf of the retirement community at which I work, The Village at Rockville. Will be inviting/encouraging our residents to join in future events.
– Shawn Harrison
“Wonderful stories and fabulously delivered! I love how universal the challenges of teen years are. Thanks!!!”
– Fran Zamore
“Fabulous. You have encouraged me to share my story(s) with someone.”
– Evelyn Robinson
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“In Regie’s workshop, it was clear to me that Regie not only fostered a safe space for the teachers to express themselves and be fully engaged, but he explicitly taught how to create that safe space for sharing. Both in the classroom and with teachers, I have seen how Regie builds skills in the art form to promote a sense of comfort that allows the risk-taking and community support that is so important, especially for Middle School aged students.”
– Marlo Castillo, Prince George’s County Public Schools, Department of Creative and Performing Arts, Arts Integration Resource Teacher
“Thank you so much for offering this wonderful opportunity for kids to learn poetry through BARS Rap Writing Process. I was so impressed with Baba Bomani and his way to keep the kids engaged and amazing knowledge sharing of the writing process paired with the history of Frederick Douglass. Amazing.”
– Jessica Muñiz Witmer, aka Eli’s mom (Virtual Summer Camp 2020 participant)
“Thank you (Drew Anderson) SO much for all of the work and dedication you have poured into the Neelsville community throughout the year. You have gone above and beyond to work with our students not only in the building but to then bring the student performance to life. I am so thrilled that we have the chance to work with you again next year. We are incredibly lucky to have your expertise and engagement within our classrooms.”
– Mandy Chin, Science Content Specialist, Neelsville MS
“I would like to thank you for supporting our students by facilitating bringing an artist in residence to our school. Regie (Cabico) did a wonderful job working with the students. He got the students engaged and motivated to write poetry. The students were excited to see him and welcomed him into their classes. The top 3 benefits that the teachers saw were: providing an avenue for creative thinking, teaching students to speak with expression, and supporting students to become risk takers. They saw ways that they could incorporate movement into their lessons in a well-managed way as well as reinforcing active listening…Once again, thank you so much for your support. I cannot say enough how much we appreciate it.”
– Tova Irving, Reading Specialist, Galway ES
“I have seen the impact of Story Tapestries and the Amplify US! programs on my own daughter. She has found her voice. She had low self-esteem and it is boosting her. Story Tapestries has given her a voice that we never even knew that she had. All of a sudden, when she has that pencil and paper she gets to writing and everything comes out in that writing. It gives her a purpose. It gives her a voice…I have been in shock. I know now that my daughter is talented and I never knew that before. She is in essence a role model. I thank Story Tapestries because you brought this out.”
– Karla Gorham, mother of Karina, student at Montgomery Village MS & Amplify US! community performer
“As a result of this professional learning experience, I have learned the value of employing instructional strategies that tap into the kinesthetic mode of acquiring knowledge. Using this method of instruction, in which my students learn concepts through movement will without a doubt increase the learning outcome for my students.”
– Wake County Public School Teacher
“This was one of the best, if not the best, program we have heard in the past ten years’ offerings for Reading night. We highly recommend Arianna with her Story Tapestries programs for any age.”
– Rochell H. Grey, Media Specialist, Quantico Base, VA
“I loved having Mrs. Ross in my class these past four days. Through her methods my students were able to see, connect to, and comprehend complex story elements that I think would have been extremely difficult otherwise. It was surprising to see my students participating and enjoying the lessons. I can’t wait to try some of the strategies on my own once she leaves. Thank you for allowing this to happen, and hopefully I will be able to participate again.”
– Ms. Williams, 7th grade Language Arts teacher Zebulon Middle School
“This helps me write because I can see myself as the character.”
– Student, Skyview Elementary, Morgantown, WV
“Story Tapestries has built an impressive cadre of teaching artists who have developed a dynamic approach to arts integration. More importantly Story Tapestries has been working deeply with the local communities represented in this proposal to build arts-integration partnerships in many communities nationwide.”
– Kurt Wootton, Cofounder and Director of the ArtsLiteracy Project, Brown University
“Seeing the student engagement was amazing.”
– Lisa Ross, Literacy Coach, Rosewood ES, Vero Beach, FL
“Ms. Ross engaged my students in a meaningful way through dance, song and musical instruments. She taught them to stretch their imaginations to become part of stories we read in order to develop authentic character empathy and comprehend the sequence and meaning of the text at a higher level.”
– Alina Kaye, Early Childhood Education Teacher, Seaton Elementary, Washington DC
“Hi Ms. Dianne I hope you remember me from Caldwell Middle. I was one of the authors of Roachpunzel. I just wanted to say thank you for helping me with writing. I think it’s because of you that I have made no lower than a B on any of my writing assignments. Also I’m in The Junior Beta Club at my school, so thank you for helping me in writing.”
– Dasia Francis, 4th Grade Student, Caldwell Middle School, Houma, LA
“Thank you so much for putting on such an amazing presentation for our students today. As we returned to the classroom, we discussed how you told such a wonderful story that we could see in our minds, yet you didn’t use any pictures. It became a perfect curriculum alignment to the importance of adjectives in writing! You tended to each learning style and engaged each member of your audience. On behalf of the staff and students at Harmony Hills, thank you so much for helping us use our imaginations to explore literature and arts in an exciting way! It was absolutely phenomenal!”
– Jayme L. O’Melia, Kindergarten Teacher, Harmony Hills ES. Silver Spring, MD
“We have worked with Story Tapestries on multiple projects over the past several years, providing arts education and arts integration programming to underserved schools and communities here in the Washington, DC area and across the country. We have seen the powerful impact that the rigorous application of arts integration strategies can have in promoting learning. We have seen first hand the transformative power of the arts in the classroom.”
– Ali Oliver-Krueger, Executive/Artistic Director, InterAct Story Theatre
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