Blog
A decade of milestones. A year of achievement. A future of possibilities.
26,524 people attended N4 programs in the United States…4,253 facilitators were trained worldwide…50 adults were trained for employability at our Civic Engagement pilot program in South Africa. And counting.
2023 was an incredible year for us, as we celebrated our 10th anniversary! But as impressive as these numbers are, they can never truly tell the full story.
The smiles shared, the friendships made, and the lives changed.
Compassion is a gift, and when it is given freely, there’s no stopping all the good we can do, and love we can spread.
So, as Narrative 4 looks forward to 2024, here are some of the highlights from the past year!
Broadcasting our story on the national news across the United States!
Cynics say, “only bad news sells.” We were happy to prove that maxim wrong by appearing on not one, but two national broadcast networks in the United States with messages of hope! In March, we appeared on The Today Show on NBC, and this month we were featured in a segment on CBS Morning News. Whether it’s local, national, or International news, we appreciate the opportunity to tell our story to the world!
Launching our first-ever Global Leaders Conference in Berlin.
In July, we held the Education First Global Leaders Conference in Berlin, Germany. Students heard from world renowned keynote speakers, worked with local and global experts, and collaborated on “Creating a Sustainable Future.” While the event was only three days, the lessons learned, and friendships forged, will last a lifetime.
Establishing two new official regions in Israel and Palestine.
Israel and Palestine have sadly been front page news since the events of October 7th, but this region has been in our hearts and minds for years. We are proud to have officially launched two Narrative 4 hubs in Israel and Palestine this year. In these devastating times, we look to our leaders there to help bring stories of hope – and eventually healing – to the region and, indeed, the world.
Launching the Jackie Bezos Global Learning Lab
We officially launched the Jackie Bezos Global Learning Lab during our 10th Anniversary Gala on November 6th. This innovative platform will serve as a single touchpoint for all Narrative 4’s offerings, making them accessible to students and educators all over the world for years to come!
Celebrating our 10 Year Anniversary with a Global Summit and an unforgettable gala!
For the first time in nearly five years, our staff and key partners gathered for a global summit, which was capped off with our “10 Years of ‘Yes!’” gala event in New York City. It was an unforgettable evening that celebrated the past ten year and laid the foundation for the future. We unveiled the Jackie Bezos Global Learning Lab, launched our five-year Growth & Innovation Campaign, paid tribute to slain journalist James Foley, honored Terry Tempest Williams with the 2nd Annual Global Empathy Award, presented the new Civic Engagement arm of our digital platform, and were entertained by performances from Sting, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Loah, Ishmael Beah, N4 students, educators, and many more!
It was a big year, but the new year promises to be even bigger! Here are some events we’re looking N4-ward to in 2024!
Establishing our First N4 Mexico University Ambassadors
We’re hitting the ground running and launching our first cohort of university level N4 Student Ambassadors in January! We’re proud to join our partner, Universidad del Noreste, in this mission to cultivate compassionate young leaders who will lead and create N4 activities in their campus and community.
The N4 Artists Network Launches New Monthly Workshop Series
Tap into your inner poet with our new series, which brings an N4 Artist to you via Zoom. We’re kicking things off with a poetry workshop where N4 Youth Ambassador Babalwa Tetyana explores how writers use personas to step into another’s shoes. Join us on January 31, 2024 at 7pm EST. Click here to sign up!
Everything we have done. Everything we will do. Everything we are. None of it would be possible without you.
This holiday season, and every season, we give thanks to the greatest gift we could ever ask for – friends and supporters like you!
Thank you for being a part of our story and letting us be a part of yours. Together, let’s continue to cultivate a more compassionate world for us all!
Check out more of our past milestones and upcoming highlights!
Northeast U.S.
Highlight from 2023
On August 2-3, we held our first major event for Boston Public Schools when Community Hub coordinators at 14 public schools participated in Story Exchanges and were trained as facilitators.
On October 24, we trained 56 students to become Story Exchange facilitators at longtime partner school EO Smith High School in Storrs, CT – our biggest, single-day training session in the region!
Coming up in 2024
In early February, 70 students from Friends Seminary in New York City will be trained as Narrative 4 facilitators in preparation to run an all-school Story Exchange in March!
In March, we’re bringing a select group of New Haven schools to participate in a multi-school Story Exchange.
Pacific Northwest U.S.
Highlight from 2023
In October, hundreds of participants gathered to tell stories about community, connection and compassion for the first-ever Boise Community Story Exchange.
Coming up in 2024
In January, we’re launching our N4 Rising Leaders Collective, an immersive, six-month program for ages 15-20 to learn the ins and outs of civic engagement and community organizing.
Southeast U.S.
Highlight from 2023
We launched N4’s Civic Engagement pilot project! From April 26-May 2, students from Kentucky and New York traveled to each others’ homes and spent days immersing themselves in local culture and stories during our first, post-pandemic field exchange.
On October 26, we held our largest event in the region ever with “Changing the World with Stories,” featuring an artist panel and community wide Story Exchange.
Coming up in 2024
We’ve partnered with the Louisville Metro United Way to bring Story Exchanges to their YES Connection event on January 25!
In February, we’ll engage 30 educators in a Story Exchange and facilitator training from the Westminster School in Atlanta, GA – our first school-based PD training in the region
Midwest U.S.
Highlight from 2023
On November 29, we conducted a Story Exchange between Williams Medical Prep High School and Michele Clark High School — our first in-person, inter-school Story Exchange in the Midwest region.
Coming up in 2024
On January 16-17, Minnesota State University Moorhead will be putting on an MLK day event commemorating Dr. King through Story Exchanges and service-learning projects.
Southwest U.S.
Highlight from 2023
On November 29, we conducted a Story Exchange between Williams Medical Prep High School and Michele Clark High School — our first in-person, inter-school Story Exchange in the Midwest region.
Coming up in 2024
On January 16-17, Minnesota State University Moorhead will be putting on an MLK day event commemorating Dr. King through Story Exchanges and service-learning projects.
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Blog • December 16, 2024High School in the Community (HSIC), a public school with a longstanding relationship with Narrative 4, continues to make strides in integrating storytelling and compassion into its culture. Under the leadership of Principal Carrie Strand, the school has hosted numerous impactful events, from global exchanges with a school in Ireland to collaborations between students and police officers. For HSIC, the power of storytelling and connection isn’t new, but each year, the school finds new ways to dive deeper into this transformative work.