Named Initiatives - Story Tapestries

In addition to our Key Initiatives, Story Tapestries offers Named Initiatives that address a specific set of challenges facing our community. Explore them all below!

Write Your Story

Write Your Story (WYS – pronounced “wise”) is ST’s approach to promoting accessibility and inclusivity in learning environments to support youth at every level of development. WYS aims to reach young people directly in their learning environment, during and out of school time, with arts experiences including performances and artist-in-residencies. Following our belief that to better impact youth you must also impact the adults who interact with them daily, WYS includes Professional Development workshops for educators and family engagement experiences that share tools and tips with parents so they can better support their children at home. Art Kits that include supplies and guided lessons further support at-home learning. Program design is responsive to needs that are identified collaboratively with school communities, including supporting literacy, social-emotional learning (SEL), STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and 21st century skills development. This approach is particularly beneficial for students who are behind their peers in academic achievement, who live in households in or near poverty, speak English as a second language, and/or have identified special needs.

Click to learn more, view reports and watch videos about Write Your Story.

REWORC

REWORC addresses disparities in the field of early childhood education with a comprehensive approach that includes direct instruction for children along with significant professional development efforts for early childhood educators (ECEs) and a component that addresses mental health and workforce readiness skills for parents of young children. The program includes the Write Your Story program as described above with Embedded Coaching Residencies, plus a series of professional development workshops that help ECEs earn required credentials recognized by the Maryland State Department of Education. Finally, Parent Workshops give the parents of young children an opportunity to work directly with expert teaching artists to learn new techniques and approaches that support their own wellbeing and economic possibilities, which in turn boosts their ability to support their child(ren).

Sage Stories

Sage Stories addresses the health impacts of isolation. The elders of our community have wisdom and insights to be cherished and shared, yet since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our elders have been isolated from their families, friends, and communities and have suffered increased anxiety and stress. Sage Stories uses the power of storytelling to re-engage our elders as a vital part of the fabric of the community, engaging seniors through interactive storytelling performances, leading workshops that guide them to tell their own stories, and providing Sunshine Kits that deliver arts supplies and guided activities that improve dexterity and lift spirits, impacting mental health.

Digital Solutions that Bridge the Divide

Show MoreDigital Solutions that Bridge the Divide addresses the gap in access to tools, resources, and knowledge about the digital skills required to succeed in today’s workforce. Tech Savvy Soundbytes are YouTube videos featuring guest speakers who share practical skills and personal stories about how technology impacts their work life, helped them find work/education opportunities, or supported their ability to become an entrepreneur. Digital Fundamentals is a course designed to support community members in building their own digital portfolio. Finally, a lending library provides free access to computers, webcams, microphones, green screens and more to support the creation of high-quality content.

CHART: Creative, Healthy ARTs experiences

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CHART is a unique approach to supporting mental health and wellness, especially for adolescents. Expert teaching artists who are trained in trauma-response practices lead youth through songwriting, poetry, dance, and visual arts experiences that help them explore their emotions, their perceptions, and to discover new perspectives. Youth learn valuable skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, and social awareness – setting the groundwork for a stronger community built on authentic relationships that are critical to mental health and wellness. The Story Tapestries team works directly with guidance counselors, social workers and certified health professionals to utilize an arts approach to support schoolwide culture, practices and policies that support the social-emotional development of young people.

Learning Full STEAM Ahead

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Learning Full STEAM Ahead is how Story Tapestries uses the arts as a tool to develop high-impact programs that build 21st-century skills such as problem solving and critical thinking. Applying the arts to Science, Math, Engineering and Technology unlocks students’ ability to engage in more complex reasoning while boosting social-emotional development. Our program approach works with all aspects of a child’s network including caregivers and educators to set them on a positive trajectory for a lifelong love of learning.

Learn more about how you can support these Named Initiatives through our Scholarship Program, or make a general Donation to bring free programs and services to the community members who need them most.

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