Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Presentation: “Shepherd Speaks and the Power of Storytelling: Organizing and Sustaining a StoryCorp Project in the Academy and in the Community”
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Abstract: The power of storytelling can encourage, enrich, and in some cases provide a roadmap for survival. Shepherd Speaks is a new program sponsored by the Shepherd University Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities which attempts to give young people a voice and a platform to tell their stories. It also seeks to give the young (that is university-age students on the cusp of immersing themselves in the business of life) and older people (in this case the SAIL organization or Stay Alive and Independent for Life) the opportunity to interact with each other in an enriching way that will benefit both generations. This storytelling project is a partnership with the National StoryCorp Project, and this presentation will attempt to provide the steps for implementing and having such a program thrive in other communities in order to give young people a voice and a platform to tell their stories—thus engaging and sustaining the community to bring AppalachA’ville into the life of the Academy.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Megan, a Boston-native, will graduate in December 2018 from Shepherd University with a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction (early childhood development and nature-based education) and a Graduate Certificate in Appalachian Studies. Megan is a certified Reiki Practitioner and aspires to train in children’s yoga to compliment her experiential approach to constructing the learning environment. When not reading, you can find Megan walking, cooking or traveling home to Boston/New England for time with friends and family.
Presentation: “Shepherd Speaks and the Power of Storytelling: Organizing and Sustaining a StoryCorp Project in the Academy and in the Community”
Abstract: The power of storytelling can encourage, enrich, and in some cases provide a roadmap for survival. Shepherd Speaks is a new program sponsored by the Shepherd University Center for Appalachian Studies and Communities which attempts to give young people a voice and a platform to tell their stories. It also seeks to give the young (that is university-age students on the cusp of immersing themselves in the business of life) and older people (in this case the SAIL organization or Stay Alive and Independent for Life) the opportunity to interact with each other in an enriching way that will benefit both generations. This storytelling project is a partnership with the National StoryCorp Project, and this presentation will attempt to provide the steps for implementing and having such a program thrive in other communities in order to give young people a voice and a platform to tell their stories—thus engaging and sustaining the community to bring AppalachA’ville into the life of the Academy.
