annual report of the young storytellers foundation September 2011 - August 2012

mission, vision, values The Young Storytellers Foundation develops literacy through the art of storytelling. Using group exercises and one-on-one mentoring, we provide underserved children in the public school system an opportunity to write stories and see them brought to life through performance. Our mission is to inspire children to discover the power of their own voice. At YSF, we believe. . .

»That every child has a story worth telling. »That arts education is a right, not a privilege. »That all students deserve equal access to this “I felt an achievement. It made me confident in writing and ever since then I’ve loved writing stories and essays. I’ve been in honors English classes, AP English classes. Going into college I have confidence in what I’m doing.” ¶ Jenny Gonzalez YSF Alum

education, regardless of race, neighborhood, economic status, or any other factor.

»That we can correct inequalities in public education by providing supplemental, rigorous, quality arts programming.

Though the Young Storytellers Foundation specifically mentors at-risk youth in dramatic writing and storytelling, we’re also:

»Deterring delinquency. »Increasing Academic Performance. »Giving students a greater chance of going to, and graduating from, college.

»Increasing literacy in students whose first language is not English.

every

CHILD has a Story WORTH telling.

programs

script-to-stage program

Arts education is critical to providing a wellrounded education to students of all ages, one where all of their learning faculties are challenged and developed. The arts challenge imagination, give students the opportunity to explore ambiguity and emotion, and introduce critical thinking concepts such as interpretation, connection, engagement and reflection. Yet, in many of our public schools, a lack of funding leaves students without access to the arts. Our programs augment a growing void in public education by providing sequential, standardsbased arts programming to disadvantaged youth. YSF offers mentor-based programs in dramatic writing and storytelling to public school students in the greater Los Angeles area, with the majority of our current programs directed at 5th grade at-risk youth. Mentorship is at the core of most of our programs, giving students one-on-one time with an adult who values their ideas, praises their work, and guides them in a creative exploration.

A nine week, standards-based, public elementary school program where students write their own original short script, then see it performed by professional actors. The Script-to-Stage program runs weekly during unstructured school time. A volunteer Head Mentor, trained by YSF, runs each class. Each student is given an individual mentor from the entertainment industry to work with them one-on-one and guide and encourage them as they imagine and develop their own short script. At the culmination of sessions, Hollywood actors volunteer to perform the students’ scripts at an inschool assembly, called the “Big Show.” The program emphasizes learning through game play, dramatic structure, oral storytelling, and writing. Through interactive exercises of discovery, students learn and reinforce the basic concepts of storytelling. Our games and activities are designed to strengthen leadership skills and empower students. From the first moment, we let the students know that they have a voice in what happens. With their mentors, students complete writing exercises that help them discover elements of story, such as plot, character, setting, goals, conflict and lesson. As sessions progress, the Head Mentor incorporates more games and exercises with the goal of exploring and deepening students’ stories. Students then take their written outlines and turn them into full-fledged scripts with action, dialogue, fade-in’s and blackouts. Finally, in a culminating performance, their works are then presented in a “Big Show,” performed by professional actors, before the school community. Every student in the program presents a finished script, and all are given the chance to have their voices heard. For kids who normally receive little individualized attention and support, working oneon-one with an adult to create their own story, and seeing actors like Cory Monteith (Glee), Ben McKenzie (Southland), Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother), and Raven Symone (That’s So Raven) bring their words to life as a piece of theater is transformative.

pilot programs “Young Storytellers grows stronger every year.”

¶ Lori Orum, Principal Edison Language Academy

new “cluster” initiative The goal of this pilot program in Culver City is to provide sequential, standards based arts programming to students from Elementary School, into Middle and High School, with a great deal of effort placed on continuity and consistency of programs. All students in the cluster begin in 5th Grade at one of four Culver City Elementary Schools in our Script-to-Stage program. In Middle School, students who have already participated in the program explore more advanced writing techniques as well as technical aspects of filmmaking, in our Tabletop Movie Making Program. By High School, students enter the Culver City Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, where the Front and Center Theater Collaborative provides Teaching Artists and Guest Speakers. High School students also act as mentors for the younger Middle and Elementary School students. Front and Center Theatre Collaborative partners include Center Theatre Group, The Actors Gang, 24th Street Theatre, and We Tell Stories and is funded by Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Carol and James Collins Foundation, Playa Vista, The Drown Foundation, CCEF and the Elementary School PTA’s.

Tabletop Movie Making Program The Young Storytellers Foundation TableTop Movie Making program is a theme-based writing program for Middle School students in collaboration with Tabletop Media. It is also mentor-based, and culminates in a screening of produced Table Top films. The program incorporates the curriculum of the YSF Script-to-Stage program, reinforcing grade 7 and 8 language arts content standards, in a tenweek session focused on a theme determined by the class. For example, in a recent program, students chose to write on culture and identity, and their scripts and finished movies embodied these themes. Through the use of personal storytelling, students discover the value of their own lives and experiences as excellent sources to draw upon in their writing. The program includes council work (a group teaching method that encourages participation from every member), personal investigation, research, interviewing of subjects, writing, public performance, and school/ community follow up. Once the students’ scripts are complete, the program shifts to production. Students make their own films using photographed backdrops, stick figures, an iPad and iMovie. Students voice the characters and direct their own films, calling action and cut and setting camera angles. A screening of the films is held for an invited audience of family, friends and peers.

Teaching Artists for High School & Guest Speaker Series YSF runs a variety of programs in public high schools using teaching artists in writing, film, acting, and directing. We also provide opportunities for students to meet with industry professionals at brown bag luncheon seminars, where past guests have included actor Tim Robbins, and producers Susan Arnold and Donna Roth.

“People telling me that I have talent, and helping me to progress that talent... That’s mind-blowing.” ¶ Anthony YSF at NYFA student

The Hillsides Education Center Script-to-Stage Program Students at the Hillsides Education Center for Fostered and Emotionally Disturbed Youth receive a specially tailored version of our Script-to-Stage program that accommodates a student population facing great educational and emotional challenges. Individual sessions rely on council work, a method of group sharing and listening that works especially well with this student population.

summer programs YSF at New York Film Academy, Universal Studios YSF has partnered with NYFA to offer 12 full scholarships (worth $18,000) to their weeklong film-making intensive for High School students. Students are selected from the Young Storytellers alumni pool. Participants write, film, and edit their own short film on the Universal Studios backlot. All alumni from the one-week film-making intensive will be paired with a professional mentor from NYFA’s faculty and will return to participate in workshops administered by their professional mentors. Natural History Museum Camp In Paris, in the 1870’s, there is a T-Rex on the loose. He’s not looking for food. He’s looking for love. That’s the synopsis of the play created by the campers in the 2012 Dinosaur Summer Camp, written and performed alongside Hunter the T. rex, NHM’s popular life-size dinosaur puppet, on the stage in the North American Hall of Mammals. Make Your Very Own Movie Trailer! at the Iverbe Arts Camp This camp provides summer internships for Culver City High School students at the same time it raises money to support our Script-toStage Program during the year. Students at Iverbe wrote, directed, and shot their own movie trailers using iPads.

outcomes & demographics

100%

of our students complete a script and see it performed in front of an audience by professional actors

Pre/Post testing on language arts concepts of narrative structure and storytelling showed an average improvement of 22%, with of students passing

80%

64% *

of our students receive free or reduced price lunch (an important economic indicator)

34% *

of adults in neighborhoods where our schools are located hold a college degree

$39,540

*

The median household income for communities where our schools are located

»62% Female / 38% Male »8.5% Asian

»11% Black / African American »14% Caucasian »51.5% Latino / Hispanic

»15% Other / Bi- or Multi- Racial

»»»

* Factors in determining if a student

population is at-risk of less positive educational outcomes.

schools

“I love the fact that Young Storytellers cares about what they are teaching the students. YSF gives them another avenue to be inspired and provides a never-ending memory of someone that cares about them. For some of our kids, thats all they have.” ¶ YSF School Liaison

Beethoven Elementary Betty Plasencia Elementary Canfield Elementary Carthay Center Elementary Castle Heights Elementary Cheremoya Elementary Coldwater Canyon Elementary Crescent Heights Elementary Daniel Freeman Elementary Dayton Heights Elementary Disney Elementary Edison Elementary El Rincon Elementary La Ballona Elementary Laurel Elementary Marvin Elementary McKinley Elementary Melrose Elementary Micheltorena Elementary New Roads Elementary Overland Elementary Palms Elementary Saturn Elementary Selma Elementary SMBCC Elementary St. Anne Elementary Vermont Elementary Westminster Elementary Wilshire Crest Elementary Hillsides Education Center Culver City Middle School Animo Jackie Robinson High Culver City High School

events The Biggest Show 2011 featuring the stars of

glee YSF After Dark The inaugural event hosted and organized by our Entertainment Advisory Board. For the first half of the evening, improv pro’s performed scripts written by students in our Script-to-Stage program. Then, we sent the youngsters home and watched our genius cast perform stand-up and improv inspired by the students’ stories. With titles like Elmo’s Face is Mars, Jungle Prom, and Stop Being Famous, what could have possibly gone wrong? Hosted by Jason and Randy Sklar and featuring improv superstars Matt Walsh, Casey Wilson and others.

Our annual benefit brought a packed house to watch stars from Glee and other special guests perform scripts written by four of our Young Storytellers at The Crossroads School in Santa Monica.

impact The first Young Storytellers session was held at Playa del Rey Elementary School in 1997. In 2003, YSF became a 501c3 Non Profit Organization. YSF is now active in more than 35 schools across Los Angeles every year, providing a mentor for nearly 750 students a year as they write their own original script.

last year since 2003

64

640

640

704

6,400

640

schools/ sessions

student writers

volunteer performers

volunteer mentors

audience members

scripts written

475

4,750

4,800+

4,900+

“We work with many different nonprofits... Young Storytellers has been by far the most effective academicbased, fully inclusive, and engaging program I have ever collaborated with on behalf of my students.”

¶ Rebekah Ruswick, Hillsides Education Center

46,000+ 4,750

financial report

»» Fiscal Year January - December 2011 Income Contributions $ 52,666 Corporate, Foundation & Government Grants $ 121,325 Special Events & Auctions $ 135,048 Program & Other Revenue $ 8,731 $ 317,770 Expenses Program $ Management $ Special Events $ Fundraising $ Auction Fees $ $

190,160 14,560 26,106 28,034 13,1 1 1 271,971

Operating Surplus $ 45,799 In-kind value of volunteer instruction

$ 362,893*

*Because YSF delivers programming using trained volunteers from the entertainment industry, every $1 we raise provides $2 worth of programming, free of charge, to under-served youth in Los Angeles.

our supporters $10,000 – $24,999

Apatow Family Foundation Dwight Stuart Youth Fund Brad Falchuk Fox HBO Thelma Pearl Howard Foundation (CCF) Los Angeles County Arts Commission Rob & Danielle Mohn National Endowment for the Arts Sony Pictures Entertainment Variety

$5,000 – $9,999

Betty Polansky California Browncoats Inc Natalie Edmonds Fair Fox Gives Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Ellen Goldsmith-Vein Greg, Heidi, Olivia, & Rachel Hodes Warner Bros. The Howard and Maryam Newman Family Foundation

$2,500 – $4,999

Ameriprise Financial Services Lynn Marie Burca Edlow Family Fund FX Networks Heidi Golledge Kirby Family Foundation Seth MacFarlane Guy Ruffin Brian Slipock Amanda Whaley

$1,000 – $2,499

Anonymous Edwin Alexander Marcy Shoemaker & Jonas Morganstein Richard Bernsley Diane Bertram Sam Brown Lulu Brud City National Bank Fiona Copeland Leanne Dunlap Joy Fehily Steve & Nancy Fischman Eric & Katya Friedman Jay & Deirdre Gibson Gotham Group Halon Entertainment Caroline Hazen

Graham King Erika Klein Eric Kripke Robin Laroche Brian Miller Josh Radnor Robert McKee Story Seminar Bruce Ross Mark Feldstein & Brad Roth Peter & Donna Schlessel Colleen, Alex, & Megan Schwartz Louisa Shields Michael Stevens Lisa Stiglitz Target Jack Telle Time Warner Jessica Tuan Stephanie Vizvary Ilene Resnick & Daniel Weiss Susan Wildman William Morris Endeavor Entertainment

$500 – $999

Lawrence Ambramson Kary Antholis Mat Beck Darren Bernstein Daniel Casanova Wilson Chin Desiree Contreras S.B. DeMeo Breck & Georgia Eisner Mark Feldstein The Ferullo Family Dalila Fontana Charles & Jane Forman Angela Hebert Jennifer Jendro Margaret Jimenez Janice Linden-Reed Colleen Lindt Allan Loeb Barbara & Harvey Markowitz Patrick McCabe Marla & Brett Messing Ryan Murphy Robert Mycroft Laura Presburger Nancy Ritter Marie Florence Rose Fran & Lew Rumford Rachel Sparlin Jacqueline Klein-Stroyman and Matthew Stroyman Natalie Ward Tracy Weinberg

Stan Wertlieb Writer’s Junction

$250 – $499

Susan Paley Abramson Answers to Nothing Paul Apel Lisa Bellucci Judy Chan David Eilenberg Stephen Fife Friends of Bad Robot Isaac Greenberg Jen Grisanti Taylor Jones Lesly Kahn Kevin Kelly Deborah & John Kernochan Stu Krieger Jessica & Peter Nelson Jennifer Nordstrom Elizabeth O’Brick Sophie Pokorny Jillian Roberts Ron Safran Samuel Slater Michael & Diane Ziering

$100 – $249

Linda Carlson & Angus Wall Blair Hickey & Laura Battaglia Liz Abbe & Lew Schneider Randolph Adams Mr. & Mrs. Angier M. Ames Macy Raymond & Scott Glosserman Ronnie Anderson Carey Graeber & Andrew Kozinn Alon Aranya Susan Arnold Elizabeth Backup Andrew Barrett Jennifer Bassik Thanda & Harald Belker Scott Bernstein Anjali Bhimani Andrew Boyle Hannah & Madeline Boyle Gloria Brenes Ian Brennan Anthony Briones Jeff Bynum Marika Cahn Anne-Marie Cappellano Chris Kelly & Jennifer Carrico Pat, Judy, Mary, Katie, & Tim Carrico Wendy Chang Susan Cho

Colette Compton Amy Cooper Mia D’Argenzio John Dahl Laura Dave Jennifer Delgado Gerald Di Rienzo Abraham Donner Stephanie Dorcy Carla duManoir Alan Finkel Sean Furst Ann Garber Eric Garfinkle Shannon Gaulding Maria Mancuso Gersh Eliot Gerstel Amy & Dick Glover L Grant Michael & Abby Grossman Evelina Hansson Michael Hitchcock Stanley Kazanjian Claudine Kushner Vincent Landay Molly Lavik Matthew Leutwyler Josh Levine Bob and Alicia Levitt Maryam & Josh Lieberman Susan Littenberg Lynne Lueders Marilyn Abraham & Sandy MacGregor Sarah Maguire Chris Martin Tarra-Lyn Matthews Dereck Messana Dayton Miller Annik Minasaganian Jonathan Mogharrabi Hallie Myers Shyer Dave Neustadter Fariba Nia Pat O’Keefe Paul & Erin Paglia Ben Parrillo Wendy Paulin Carly Pope Kelly Ramlow Marissa Rehhaut Derek Richardson John Rickard Maria Rodriguez Brian Sacks Nancy Sams Ellen Scott Yvette Sears Matt Selman S.G.Lewis Foundation Mien Shih

Tiffany Shih Gregory Silverman Jeff Smith J.C Spink Dorothy Spirer Julia Spiro Gina Steward Russell Stiverson II Julia Suarez Kirk Suduski Lexine & Cuyler Tremayne Dennis & Elisa Visca Maiara Walsh Karin Wholey Randy Wiech Lynn Williams Meg Wilson Jayne Wolfson Nora Zuckerman

$50 – $99

Marielle Abaunza JJ Abrams Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Rojean Azimi Marlo Boyle Bryan Burk Alana Chin Clancy Collins Leslie Conliffe Charley Dane Carol David Jenny David Kirstie Palmer & David Hirschmann Krista Doyle Eric Eglin Shawn Fagan Rong Fan Gabe Feinberg Allen Fischer Brad Fischer Rick Genow Jeremy Glazer Cari Goldhammer Lucie Goldman Daniel Gomez Francine Gordon Paul Grellong Debi Harris Ellen Himmel Nancy Himmel Barbara Ives Barbara Jones Laeta Kalogridis Josh Katz Susan Keeton Michael & Francesca Kelly Zaina Kholaki Matt King Ray Landes

Christine Law Grace Ledding Eric Lehrman Julie Leung Erin Levy Laura Lewis Kathy Ling Dave Lowe Stacy Lumbrezer Tracey Maye Kevin McCormick Paul & Jennifer McKinney Melrose M/S/T Magnet Kinder Geoff Morley Heather Olofson Robin Page Poppy Paulos Nick Penske Chandler Poling Marshall Porter Magaluna Ramos Sarah Reeves Shanee Regev Lucas Reiner Dana Rensselaer Blair Rich Lisa Roos Susan Rovner Tamara Sekhoff Vicki Shaghoian Matthew Sheelen Barbara Smith Kyle Soehngen Jason Spitz Benj Thall Liz Thurmond Trinitas Cellars Jamie Vanderbilt Dahvi Waller Jennifer Wang Jodi Weingarten Brian Weinstein Rebecca Welch Athena Wickham Sheldon Yeager Paul Young Rachel Zack Ishikawa Kellen Zale (visit our website to see the most current list of our contributors at www.youngstorytellers.com/donate)

board of directors

»» Young Storytellers Foundation 923 East 3rd Street, Ste. 307 Los Angeles, CA 90013

323.962.4500 [email protected] www.youngstorytellers.com

/ youngstorytellers / youngstory1 @ youngstory Staff Bill Thompson, Executive Director Jason Pugatch, Associate Director Arrowyn Ambrose Husom, Program Director Netta Most, Program Coordinator

Andrew Barrett, Chairman Teacher Kary Antholis, Vice-Chairman President, HBO Miniseries Sam Brown, Vice-Chairman SVP Production, New Line Ness Hamaoui, Treasurer Executive Managing Director, Studley Marika Cahn, Secretary Writer Susan Arnold Producer, Roth/Arnold Darren Bernstein Lawyer Natalie Fair Educator and Philanthropist Joy Fehily Prime Public Relations Jay Gibson Writer Ellen Goldsmith-Vein CEO & Founder, The Gotham Group Greg Hodes Partner, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment Cherise Pounders Principal, Crescent Heights Elementary Donna Roth Producer, Roth/Arnold E. Jeffrey Smith Writer/Producer Tracy Weinberg Head of Development, Rock Paper Scissors Troy Williams Senior Publicist, Warner Bros.

Our programs are made possible thanks to the generous support of the following organizations: