Young Storytellers

History

In 1997, a group of young film students learned that Los Angeles public schools were cutting creative arts programs from their budgets. Knowing the value that arts education held in their own lives, they created a volunteer-based creative arts program they could take directly into public schools at no cost to the school. Today, Young Storytellers offers a variety of programs designed to engage the creativity of students at several points in their education experience.

Specialties

At Young Storytellers, we believe that every child has a story worth telling. Using one-on-one mentorship, low-income students learn how to write original stories and see them brought to life on stage. Thanks to thousands of volunteer mentors, actors, and professional teaching artists, we serve more than 60 public schools in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City, reaching 1,200 students in elementary, middle, and high school each year. As a result, young people learn that their voice matters.